


My word is my bond

by yukitsubute



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-19 05:30:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 51,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9420704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukitsubute/pseuds/yukitsubute
Summary: The world in 2300 has changed. The society is divided in humans and slaves. Slaves are born and sold to fulfil their masters’ needs and desires. There are only a few masters who see their slaves as humans – like the Sakurai brothers. But it’s hard to hide this, when the rest of the world wants to see the slaves as ‘things to use’ and not as humans.





	1. Chapter 1

Masaki looked at the slender boys in front of him. He walked up and down, scanning them properly. „Shall they undress, sir? Maybe it’s easier for you to decide,” the man next to Masaki said. He looked at him with a small smile curling around his lips. „No, thank you.” He turned to the boys. „I chose them because of their face.”   
  
„As you wish, sir.” The man bowed.   
  
Masaki once again walked up and down before he pointed at one of the boys. „He’s for me.” He took one step to the right. „And this one is for my brother.”   
  
„Yes sir, we’ll make them ready for you. They get one Kimono and some basics from us. If you want them to get more clothes and special things, we can make you a special offer,” the man said.   
  
Masaki shook his head. „No, thank you, the basics are enough for them.”   
  
The man grinned. „Yes, you are right. They are just for your use, they don’t need to have any properties.”   
  
Masaki nodded with a smile. „True. And now get them ready, I want to get away from this place.” He turned and left the small wooden house to get to his carriage. He opened the door and slipped into it.   
  
„Did you get what you searched for?” A man looked up directly at Masaki.   
  
Masaki nodded. „And I got you one too.”   
  
„Me?” The man asked astonished. „I told you I don’t want a slave.”   
  
Masaki smiled. „The boy I chose has a friend there. They stood there, holding hands, trembling like madly. I couldn’t separate them.”   
  
„God, now I need to take care of someone else than me and my big dog, which I got because you couldn’t get only one dog for yourself? Somehow there is a central theme in your actions,” the man sighed. „Every time you go shopping, you end with buying two of whatever you want. And I am the one who has to take the second thing.”   
  
Masaki chuckled. „And don’t tell me you don’t like it, Sho-chan.” He leaned closer. „I know how much you love Akira, the big stupid dog, like you are used to call him.”   
  
Sho tousled through Masaki’s hair. „You are the worst little brother someone can imagine.” He looked out of the window. „Good, then let’s see which slaves you have chosen for us.”   
  
Masaki looked at the boys. „I hope our parents don’t say something against them, but in the end they told me to get whatever I want for my birthday.” He saw the two boys walking over the snowy ground barefoot. His heart made some heavy jumps when he saw that.   
  
„Here they are,” the seller came up to the carriage. Masaki opened the door and stepped outside once more.   
  
He looked at the boys. They were trembling. In this part of the country it had been winter, but their clothes were thin. Luckily it wasn’t winter where Masaki lived. The north and the south had differences from almost 30 degree, and when they’d be back at Sho and Masaki’s place it would be 25 degree already. But the boys' kimonos were for sure made for summer. „Can you give me some basic information? Age, name, any illness? Everything I need to take care of.”   
  
„Sure.” The man nodded and pulled out a sheet of paper. „This one.” he pointed at the smaller one. „He is called Nino, he is 23 years old, he came here some years ago, after his old master didn’t want him anymore. He is a little stubborn and he can be really disobedient. So,” the man sighed. „I understand when you don’t want him. You can change him of course. He has no other illness.”   
Masaki shook his head. „No, he’s perfect for my brother.” He stepped to the taller one, who still looked at the ground. „And this one?”   
  
The man looked at his papers. „He’s called Jun. He’s 22 years old. He came here some time ago. I have to warn you, he is no virgin anymore. He was used as special slave. So if you want some fresh meat, sir, we can change him of course. But even though he has a very active past,” the man laughed evilly. „He is healthy. He just suffers from a little flue right now, but we’ll give you some medicine for him. He should be okay in one day. But of course you can get another one, if it’s not okay. And if he doesn’t get all healthy again, feel free to change him.”   
  
Masaki smiled. „No, that’s perfect. I don’t need a slave who cries all night: I want one who’s used to be a slave.” He opened the door to the carriage further. „Get in,” he said to the both of them roughly.   
  
Masaki took the money out of his bag and handed it to the man. „Thanks for your help.” Masaki bowed.   
  
The man smirked at him, returning the bow. „Have fun with the boys, and don’t forget: use them like you want to. Punish them if it’s necessary, they are made for this.” He laughed.   
  
Masaki got back to the carriage and rolled his eyes when Sho looked up. „Coachman, we can go,” Masaki said and bumped against the wall behind him.   
  
They closed the door and soon the carriage started moving. For some minutes it was silent in the small cabin, but Masaki could feel the fear from the slaves. He just wasn’t sure how to wash this fear away from them. Masaki looked out of the window, but pulled the curtain immediately in front of it again, when he felt the cold winter breeze touching his skin. „We are far away from the slave shop,” he said to Sho, who nodded at him.   
  
Masaki turned to Jun and Nino and took the blanket Sho gave him from under the seat. „Here.” When Masaki raised the blanket he could see both boys wincing like they feared to get slapped. „You must feel cold.”   
  
Masaki looked at his brother. „We should get them some warmer clothes.” He turned to the boys. „What do you have in your bags?”   
  
For some seconds they just stared at Masaki before Nino found the courage to talk first. „We have a few belonging, master. One kimono and one pair of shoes.”   
  
„Okay,” Masaki smiled. „We go to a shop. There we’ll find something nice for you to wear.”   
  
„Tell me,” Sho suddenly said. „If you have one pair of shoes, why don’t you wear them now?”   
  
Nino looked at him, while Jun was still staring at his hands in his lap, not daring to say something.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino had Jun’s hand in his. They spent the last year together here, and they started a deep friendship since they got beaten up for being disobedient for the first time. And now they stood there and this tall man was walking up and down, scanning each of them, but Nino immediately recognized that the man was looking at Jun. Nino’s heartbeat increased. He didn’t want to be separated from Jun.   
  
And then he said that he’d take the both of them. Something in Nino jumped. No matter how often he had gotten sold during the last years, he always hoped that it would become better and they wouldn’t get sold again. He didn’t need much, just a place where they wouldn’t get beaten up and used like they had gotten during their last years.   
  
This time it was something different. This guy was strict, and he appeared like the perfect master for treating a slave as bad as possible, but Nino could see that he was acting. He knew the seller. He saw them as objects, not as human beings, and this guy adapted to it.   
  
And now they sat in the carriage, a cosy woollen blanket above their bodies. Jun was still trembling a bit next to him, and Nino grasped for Jun’s hand under the blanket. He wanted to symbolize him that they were at least together.   
  
Nino gulped. „We weren’t allowed to wear them. We should become used to low temperatures to be able to bear with more unpleasant situations, master.”   
  
He looked into the eyes of this guy. He looked stricter than the other one, but he didn’t seem to be an ugly man Nino already had to bear with. „Masaki, please take me never ever back to this place, okay? I think I don’t want to hear such stories again, because maybe I am going to burn this shop down, otherwise.”   
  
Nino blinked. His intentions were right. These guys weren’t bad. „Told you.” Masaki shrugged. „That’s why I wanted a slave for my birthday.”   
  
Nino could feel Jun’s hand squeezing his. He was still afraid, and maybe he wasn’t even really listening to the talk right now. Nino looked at the two men. So this Masaki-guy would be Jun’s master and the other his’? He didn’t dare to ask.   
  
„Okay, you’ll get some clothes. Then we’ll get back to our house,” Masaki explained.   
  
Nino didn’t dare to speak without being told to, but he had to say something, when he felt Jun’s hand getting sweaty and hot in his. „Sorry, masters, am I allowed to say something?”   
  
Masaki and Sho looked at each other before they looked at Nino. „Sure,” Masaki said with a smile.   
  
Nino felt his cheeks burning. He was afraid to say something wrong. „Jun had high fever last night, and I fear he is still ill. So may I ask that he can sleep inside tonight? Maybe in the stable?”   
  
Nino could see their stunning faces resting on him. „If it’s not possible, it’s okay.” Nino raised his hands. „But maybe you can give us a blanket, masters. If he dies, it’s lost money for you, master.” Nino turned to Masaki.   
  
„Okay, first of all, you sit here,” Sho said with a strict tone, and pulled on Nino’s arm to get him away from Jun.   
  
Nino wanted to fight against the grip, but he was too weak against Sho. He felt his stubbornness rising, even though he knew it was a bad idea to get recalcitrant. „No,” he said. „master,” he added for the correct formal speech.   
  
Sho pushed him down and took a second blanket to cover him. „Yes.” Sho’s eyes were dark. „You are also thin and weak, and you have a high risk to get sick too. So please stay away from Jun for some days. And second, you won’t sleep outside or in a stable. You have a place in our house, so don’t be afraid.”   
  
Nino felt his heart beat rising. They wouldn’t sleep outside? They’d have a place in a house during winter months? And they’d care of Jun’s sickness.   
  
Nino looked at Masaki, who stared at Jun next to him. Jun was still absent-minded. Maybe his fever was back again. „I think he feels bad, master,” Nino said to Masaki, who looked up at him.   
  
„Yes, he has fever, but don’t worry, that’ll be alright soon. We studied medicine after all.” Masaki smiled at him.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki looked at Jun. He still had his gaze lowered and Masaki was sure that he had his eyes half closed. So maybe he wasn’t only absent-minded but also really sick. He raised his hand and placed it on Jun’s forehead. He could see Nino shifting nervously opposite him. „Don’t worry, I don’t do something bad to him.”   
  
„Sho-chan, give me the white stone – eel tablets,” Masaki said. He took a bottle of water and the medicine. He placed three pills on his hand and touched Jun’s chin with his other hand. He raised his head till Jun was looking at him. „Take these and drink some water. You’ll feel better afterwards.”   
  
Jun didn’t move at all. He just stared up at Masaki, his eyes empty and grey. Masaki sighed. He tried to open Jun’s mouth with his hand and placed the pills in the slightly opened lips. „Swallow,” Masaki said. He gave Jun the bottle with water and made him drink a few sips. „Good, and now try to rest. We’ll be at home soon. We’ll delay the shopping. He needs to get a warm bed.”   
  
„Masaki, have you thought about a plan for our parents? You know they don’t allow slaves in our house,” Sho said.   
  
Masaki shook his head. No, he had no idea about a plan. „That’s always the problem.” Sho clicked his tongue. „You have such a good heart, but you don’t think about a whole working plan.”   
  
Masaki smiled. Yes, that was true. „But that’s why I have you,” he chirped. He knew that Sho always had a plan to get them out of major problems.   
  
„Yes.” Sho crossed his arms. „I have an idea.” He looked at Nino and Jun. „We have slaves for our enjoyment. That’s why we take them to our rooms.”   
  
Masaki blushed. „But, Sho-chan, I …” Masaki stuttered. „I don’t want to have that kind of slave.”   
  
„Of course not,” Sho’s voice got softer. „But we need a good excuse why those two shall sleep in our house and not outside.”   
  
„Oh, true,” Masaki agreed. Their parents weren’t bad persons at all, but they knew how society handled slaves, and their parents were part of the high society, so if they’d have slaves at home, they’d treat them like society wanted it. That’s why they never had slaves at home. His parents had one butler and two house maids, but they were free at all. „So we shall tell them that we have …” Masaki couldn’t even say it out loud.  
  
„Yes,” Sho said. „And we better keep that lie up.”   
  
~~~  
  
Nino listened to their conversation without saying something. He wondered if it was a good place where they had landed now. At least they wouldn’t do something bad to them. He just hoped that they didn’t play any trick on them and turn out to be totally different.   
  
Nino looked at Jun, who moaned from time to time. His fever must have increased. Nino wanted to get back next to his friend, but Sho held him back. Nino shifted nervously when he saw Jun moving forward like he was about to fall down from the seat. Masaki placed his hand around Jun’s shoulder and pushed him closer to his body. Jun’s head fell on the other’s shoulder and rested there. He was pale, and his whole body trembled.   
  
„God, you are ice cold,” Masaki said. He looked at Nino. „How long has he been like this?”   
  
„I think about three days,” Nino said. „Master,” he added.   
  
„Did he get something against the fever?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
„No, we are slaves, we don’t deserve medicine,” Nino said angrily. He lowered his gaze when he realized that his tone was too harsh. Now he had to expect his punishment.   
  
„If you ever say that again, you get punished.” Nino looked at Sho next to him. Did he really say this right now? Sho smiled at him. His eyes were dark and mysterious, but also gentle and there was a certain tenderness in it.   
  
„I am sorry, master, that’s what they told us in the shop,” Nino said with a bow. His anger vanished and he felt a little hope in him spreading. It was the first time since years he felt something like being save.   
  
„Tell me, Nino, was Jun the only one being sick?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
Nino shook his head. He didn’t want to think about the corpse he had seen during the last months. One after the other had died. „Please help him, master,” Nino murmured.   
  
„Look at me,” Sho said and Nino brushed away a tear in his eyes before he eyed Sho. „Tell us exactly what you know about the symptoms and how they got sick.”   
  
Nino tilted his head. He had tried to look away from the whole misery around him to prevent going mad, but sometimes it was not possible to look away. „There were two boys … they got sick some months ago. They had high fever and they started throwing up soon later, till they were too weak to stand up.” Nino got silent.   
  
„And then?” Sho wanted to know.   
  
„They brought them away and we didn’t see them again. Some weeks later another boy got sick. He …,” Nino said. „He died one night ago.”   
  
„Nino-chan, what did they all have in common?” Masaki asked.   
  
„What do you mean, master?”   
  
Masaki took Jun’s face in his hands and opened his eyes with his fingers. He turned his face left and right and opened Jun’s mouth to take a look into it. Jun let everything do with him. Nino could see Jun’s eyes fluttered open, but he closed it immediately again. „These symptoms aren’t signs for a normal flue. Is there something they drank, ate or are there places they went to?”   
  
Nino froze. „Oh my god,” he said. „Master.” He took Sho’s arm, even though he knew he wasn’t allowed to touch his master, especially when he was dirty like he had been right now, but Sho didn’t seem to care about it. „There was this fruit,” he said. „Jun came home some days ago. He told me that he had found a special fruit which blooms in winter. It shall taste good, and it’s something to eat for us.”   
  
„How does this fruit look like?” Masaki asked.   
  
Nino shook his head. „I don’t know, master.” Jun leaned against Masaki. Probably he wasn’t even conscious right now. „Wait, he told me it tasted like apple mixed with lemon and strawberry. Does that help, master?”   
  
„Yes, that helps.” Masaki smiled at him, but Nino couldn’t get rid of the feeling that this meant nothing good. Masaki and Sho exchanged a look, and Nino knew what this meant. Jun was seriously sick.


	2. Chapter 2

 

“We are here,” Masaki said when the carriage stopped. “Nino, take the bags.” Masaki felt the cold air touching his face when he stepped out of it. The winter, which had been in the north, was gone. The air was warm and Masaki had the feeling that the sweat was running down his back.

 

He helped Jun to stand up and stepped out of the carriage. “We need to get him into the house before someone sees us,” Masaki said.

 

“The car is gone, so I think there is no one at home,” Sho said. “Let’s move to our rooms.”

 

Masaki nodded. He opened the door and let Sho slip into the house first. Nino followed him. “Come, that way.”

 

Masaki could see Nino looking back at him and Jun. “Follow Sho for now, I take care of Jun.” He smiled at Nino.

 

Nino nodded at him and turned back to Sho to walk behind him upstairs.

 

Masaki supported Jun downstairs where his room had been. Their parents had their rooms on the ground floor while Sho lived on the upper floor, and Masaki lived in quite expensive furnished cellar rooms. He had an own stairway to a small winter garden where he planted his own bonsais, orchids and some plants for medicines. He wasn’t only studying medicine, he made it part of his daily life. Next to this he had a bunch of animals in his winter garden and outside in the area which belonged to his parents.

 

His dog lay on the stairs, staring at him with disinterest when he came down. Just when he saw that Masaki wasn’t alone, he looked up and came to him. He prodded Jun’s hand with his snout and licked over it.  “Sam, go to your place now, please. I need to take care of him.” Masaki patted the dogs head and walked to his sleeping room.

 

He placed Jun on the bed and covered him in three thick blankets, but Jun was still trembling. “Lemon, strawberry and apple. That’s no good,” Masaki sighed. He placed his hand on Jun’s forehead. He was still glowing. He slowly took the slaves hand and tasted his pulse. “Far too high.”

 

Masaki took his water boiler and got himself some water. He walked to his winter garden. “Herbs…silver grass, colonial bamboo and pink orchid,” he whispered. He took a few leaves and blossoms and walked back to the kitchen. He took a cup to put the herbs into it. He infused the herbs with the hot water and stirred it. The water turned slightly green. The smell wasn’t that nice, but Masaki knew that it would work against Jun’s fever till he’d know what exactly caused Jun’s illness. He walked back to Jun and slapped his cheeks softly. “Jun, wake up.”

 

The slave opened his eyes a little bit, but closed them immediately again. Masaki stood up and walked to his fridge. He opened it and pulled out a box which was tightly closed. He walked back to Jun and opened the box a little bit in front of Jun’s nose. Jun coughed and arched his back. For a moment he was awake, but Masaki knew he had to be quick, because that mixture didn’t last long. “Drink this, it will make you feel better.”

 

Jun looked at him sceptically, but finally gave in and drank the liquid. He coughed out loud. “That’s disgusting.” He looked at Masaki. “Sorry, Master.” He bowed.

 

“Don’t be stupid, lay back again,” Masaki said. “Jun, what have you eaten? What was that fruit?” Masaki wanted to know.

 

“Strawlemon,” Jun pressed out. He fought against fainting again. “Where is Nino?”

 

“That’s no good, Jun. This fruit is poisonous.” Masaki sighed. “But we’ll help you. And I’ll bring Nino to you later on.” He promised.

 

~~~

 

Nino looked left and right. This house was amazing. He had never been in such wealthy family. He looked out of the window. There were gardens and far away he could see the sea. It was warm here, and his tired and almost frozen limbs felt immediately better again. Nino hated the cold winter after all. “Is this all your property, master?”

 

Sho nodded. “Our family is famous. My father was one of the big five men during world war 4. He made a lot of money with finding a way to get back peaceful times.”

 

“And you don’t have any slaves, master?” Nino was astonished. He had seen rich families, and he had been with them. They mostly had up to ten slaves, depending on what they needed them for. Some worked in the household, some were working on the fields and gardens, and some were for personal enjoyment.

 

“We have two house maids, and one butler,” Sho explained. “My parents don’t like the idea of selling young boys to families. That’s why they never had slaves.”

 

Nino nodded. “But you have two female house maids?”

 

Sho nodded. “Our neighbour died one year ago, and my parents didn’t want to see the women get somewhere else. They feared that they’d get into something bad.”

 

While boys got sold in a very young age, women were allowed to stay with their families, at least till they were old enough to work in the household. Poor families had no other chance then selling their children to survive on their own. Nino felt something in him clenching. He couldn’t even remember his family. “And now you wanted slaves, master?”

 

Sho laughed out. „Oh, no I never wanted to have a slave. But Masaki does.” Sho raised his hands. “Oh, but he really doesn’t want to have you out of a bad reason. But he shall explain everything on his own.”

 

Nino was torn between afraid and relieved. He still didn’t know what would happen to them now, but his feeling wasn’t all that bad. “Am I allowed to see Jun, master?” Nino wanted to know. He was afraid about Jun’s condition and he feared that Jun wasn’t save here. He wanted to be at his side now.

 

“Later, Nino. But first of all you take a shower. I bring you some fresh clothes,” Sho said.

 

He walked up to a big closet and pulled out some pants and a shirt. He grabbed a towel from the chair and handed everything to Nino. “The door over there is the bathroom, go and get yourself a warm shower. We’ll talk about everything later on.”

 

Nino nodded at him and walked up to the bathroom. He got rid of his old clothes. He had the feeling that he pulled of his old life, and he hoped that was something positive.  

 

Nino stepped under the shower. The hot water ran down his back, covering him in a warm and fuzzy feeling. His legs slowly started warming up and the tension in him started fading. He looked around. The bathroom was covered in black and white marble stones and next to the bathtub there was the shower and a kind of whirlpool. This room was double sized from the one Nino had lived with 8 other boys in the shop. He was still careful about being too happy to be here, but the start with Sho and Masaki wasn't that bad at all. And he would be able to stay here together with Jun, so he wouldn't be alone if there'd be any troubles for them.

 

Jun ... Nino shivered. What should he do when something would happen to Jun? Were Masaki and Sho really able to help Jun? Nino stepped out of the shower and took the big towel Sho had prepared for him. He breathed in deeply. The shower gel smelled like heaven for Nino. He had always been someone who liked to be clean and good smelling, but he wasn't allowed to have something fancy as slave, but sometimes he wondered if some shower gel and a few good looking clothes were too much he wished for.

 

He took the clothes and slipped into the pants and the shirt Sho had prepared for him. They were a little too big, but it was okay for now. Nino walked back to the big living room Sho had for himself. Sho sat there, reading on a strange thing, which looked like a brick. “Oh, you are done,” he said with a smile.

 

“The clothes do not fit you, I am sorry, we'll get you something new when Jun feels better,” Sho added.

 

Nino felt observed, and he blushed. Even though he was used to be stared at. “Thank you, master.”

 

Sho pointed at the place next to him. “Sit down please.”

 

Nino nibbled on his lower lip. He didn't want to talk back, but he wanted to see Jun. Sho was still smiling at him, his dark eyes resting on Nino. “I just have a few instructions for you, and then we'll be immediately on the way downstairs, I promise.”

 

Nino nodded. He sat on the ground next to Sho. Sho blinked at him. “You can sit on the couch.”

 

Nino shifted nervously. “Sorry, master.” He stood up and took place next to the other.

 

“Okay, let me tell you some basics you should better be aware of, or we get in bigger troubles.”

 

~~~

 

Masaki roamed through his things. Damn, he hoped that Sho would come downstairs soon. Sho was a little older than Masaki and had a little more experience with complicated illnesses. He opened one of the old books he had once gotten from his grandfather. He could remember that he had read something about this fruit somewhere in his old books. “Damn, where are you,” Masaki cursed.

 

He could hear Jun moaning, arching his back in pain. “Okay,” Masaki said. “We'll get you a shower first.”

 

Masaki walked up to the bed and helped Jun standing up. He was sweating and he wasn't really conscious. “Come on, Jun, help me a little,” Masaki whined. He carried Jun to his bathroom and sat him on the border of his bathtub. Jun moved back and forth and Masaki was sure that he'd fall if he'd stop holding him.

 

Masaki opened Jun's kimono and undressed him. He froze when he saw Jun's upper body. Masaki had seen enough during his work as doctor, but this scars threatened him. What the hell had happened to Jun?

 

He helped Jun standing up.  “I am sorry,” Masaki said when he pulled on Jun's clothes to get him completely naked. He helped Jun in the bathtub and turned on the warm water. Masaki had done this hundredth times already, because Jun wasn't the first patient who was unconscious or weak, but this time it felt different. This was his slave after all, and he didn't want to hurt him ... that sounded stupid, especially because the society had decided that slaves were here to get hurt and used. Masaki shook his head. He had never been someone who followed conventions.

 

Masaki washed Jun's body and helped him out of the tub again, covering him in a big towel. Jun's eyes fluttered open and he looked directly at Masaki. He smiled at Jun. “I bring you some clothes and then I bring you back to bed, okay?”

 

He could see something like a nod from Jun, before he closed his eyes again. Masaki headed up to his sleeping room and opened his ward robe. He took a random pyjama and walked back to Jun. Jun leaned forward, and he fell when Masaki grabbed him and fell back with Jun on top of him. “Ouch, okay, that's no good.” Masaki said. He could feel Jun's breath in his neck. It was unsteady and slow, way too slow. Masaki pushed Jun up and helped him in the fresh clothes before he carried him back to his bed. When he had covered him in his blankets, he could hear Sho and Nino coming downstairs.

 

~~~

 

“Yes, Master, I listen,” Nino said with a nervous feeling in him. He couldn't be disobedient now. Not till he’d know exactly how this place would become for them. Maybe he'd ruin something when he’d get too stubborn at this point. When he had been with his last owner, he started talking back at one point. It ended in getting punished almost every day, but in the end Nino got what he wanted: The owner gave him away, and Nino couldn't care less.

 

Sho nodded at him. “Good.” He turned to face Nino. He looked gentle, but Nino was sure that Sho could become really mad and angry if he got annoyed. “When we are with our family, call me Sakurai-san or master, okay?”

 

“Okay, master,” Nino said.

 

“You'll be a good slave when we are with our parents and their friends, got it?” Sho said harshly.

 

Nino just nodded. Would Sho show him his real face now? Was he strict like the other masters Nino had experienced so far?

 

“Okay, good. Same goes for Jun, but I am sure Masaki will tell him when he's awake,” Sho explained. His eyes got lighter again and the smile around his lips let some wrinkles occur. “And when we are alone or with Masaki, you can call me Sho, and please don't call me master when we are alone.” Nino blinked. Was Sho really that mild? “I feel so old when you call me like that,” he chuckled.

 

“Okay, master ...” Nino shook his head. “I mean Sho-san.” He smiled a bit and it felt weird. He hadn't smiled for so long. This was too good to be true. Nino pinched his arm, maybe he was dreaming.

 

“Let's go downstairs to the others. I hope Masaki has already a guess what's wrong with Jun.” Sho stood up and waited till Nino followed him.

 

Nino felt the cold stone touching his feet. He looked around. This house was huge. His old master had been the richest guy in his town, but this was definitely something different. This was probably one of the richest families in the whole country. 

 

They walked downstairs and Nino thought that the cellar would be awkward and maybe dirty and maybe Masaki hadn't the status that Sho had with his rooms upstairs, but it was different. Masaki's rooms were noble and expensive, same like Sho's. Just that he had this stairs to a kind of winter garden at the backside. Nino stared at the room in surprise. He had lived in the cellar once, and he didn't even have a candle to lighten the room.

 

Nino looked around and he could see the door to a sleeping room was open just far enough to see Jun lying there. “Jun,” Nino said. He wanted to walk up to him, but he remembered that he wasn't allowed to walk without allowance. He stopped and looked at Sho.

 

“Please wait a moment. I want to make sure that his illness isn't infectious,” Sho said.

 

They walked up to Masaki, who sat on a bar chair next to the cooking island in the middle of the room. He read in various old looking books, but he looked up when they came closer to him.

 

 

~~~

 

Masaki opened the book he had once gotten from his grandfather. He had once told him that this book was more than 200 years old. “Strawberries and lemons combined with apple and a certain poison,” Masaki murmured.

 

He looked at Sho and Nino approaching him. “Have you found something, Ma-chan?”

 

Masaki shook his head. “I found the fruits in this book, but not the combined fruit, and we need this, because we need to make sure which poison is in this fruit.”

 

Sho nodded at him. Masaki looked at the slave next to Sho. He didn't seem that afraid anymore, but his body language was still like a shy stray cat. “Nino, do you know anything else about this fruit?” Masaki asked.

 

“No, sorry, master,” Nino said to Masaki.

 

“I thought you talk with him about speaking with us, Sho?” Masaki asked his brother. He really didn't want to be called like that.

 

“Nino, Masaki and I think same about handling you and Jun. So please call him Masaki or Sakurai-san, not master or anything else like that, except we are with others. They don't need to know about our good hearted Masaki,” Sho said with a smile.

 

“Hey you are equal good hearted,” Masaki complained. “So don't tell me that it's only me.”

 

“True,” Sho chuckled. “But really, Nino, please be careful when we are with others. It might end bad if someone finds out that we handle you with respect.” Sho got earnest again.

 

Masaki shivered. It was the sad truth. They had to be careful to not uncover their intentions, otherwise it would end bad for all of them.

 

Masaki heard footsteps on the stairs. His heartbeat rose. He hoped it wasn't already too late, because when the wrong people heard them, they'd be in major troubles.

 

“Oh, Satoshi,” Masaki sighed in relieve.

 

Nino bowed deeply and got on his knees when Satoshi entered the room. “Oh, please get up.” Satoshi smiled at them.

 

“Nino, this is Satoshi our dearest friend. He studies biology and I called him to help me with this poisoned fruit. If someone is able to know about it, it's him,” Masaki explained. Satoshi was the only friend they really trusted.

 

“Where's Ryo?” Sho asked.

 

“He is outside, I saw your family coming home, so I left him outside,” Satoshi said. He was the one who had the idea with buying a slave. Satoshi had bought Ryo some months ago, and he had same thoughts like Masaki. He wanted to help someone, but he was extreme careful with handling Ryo in society.

 

“Nino, Satoshi is the one who got me to the idea of buying a slave. You can act normal towards him,” Masaki explained.

 

“Nice to meet you, Nino,” Satoshi said. “Maybe you should go upstairs to your parents and their friends first, and we talk about the sick slave later on?” He suggested.

 

Masaki frowned. To talk with his parents wouldn’t be that bad, but the friends his father had, were another problem. They would complain about their slaves staying inside. He didn't know what to say. Sho must have seen his worried expression. “Don't worry, let me talk, okay?”

 

Masaki nodded at his brother. “Satoshi can you stay with Jun and take care of him?” Masaki asked.

 

Satoshi nodded at him. “Sure. Oh, and Nino, please be really careful when you are upstairs now, because their parents have guests, and it wouldn't be good if it get revealed what Masaki and Sho have in mind.”

 

Nino bowed. “Of course, master.”

 

“Satoshi,” Satoshi grinned at him. “Just Satoshi please.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Nino walked upstairs behind the brothers. He could already hear a woman's voice talking with another. “Yes, ma’am, we will do this immediately.”   
  
“I already told you to be done by now, Rose, so don't fool me. Go back to work, or we have to think about a different punishment,” the woman said.  
  
She turned when Masaki and the others entered the room. “Masaki, Sho, nice that you are already back.” She stopped when she saw Nino standing behind Sho. He felt observed. The woman's glance was dark and unfriendly. Her eyes were piercing and she didn't seem overall happy about a slave in her house. Nino got afraid. “Is that the one?” She came closer and touched Nino's face harshly. “He has strong eyes and a cute face, but I hope he is obedient, Masaki.”  
  
“About that,” Nino heard Masaki saying. He tried to concentrate on a point at the wall to prevent himself from shivering. “It's Sho's slave, I got myself another one.”  
  
The woman crossed her arms. “Two?” She turned to Nino. She sighed. “What's your name?”  
  
“Ninomiya, madam,” Nino said. He knelt down and bowed deeply. His heart beat rose and he was afraid of what would happen to him from now on.  
  
She pulled one eyebrow up. “At least he is well educated. And the second one?”  
  
“I tested him, and he is asleep now,” Masaki said. Nino could see Masaki's cheeks flushing a little.  
  
“Fine. But remember that they need to stay outside if you don't need their service.” The woman walked up to the living room. “Your father and I are on an important meeting tonight. Please remember that it's possible that you get observed. I don't need to say anything further?”  
  
“No, mom,” Sho said. “We'll take care of not getting seen.”  
  
“Do you plan to keep the slaves outside?” She asked. Nino could see her looking around nervously. “We need a good story for you keeping them inside,” she whispered when she seemed to be sure that they were alone. Her eyes turned from dark and threatened into tender and warm, but it only lasted a few seconds, before she got back again. “And tomorrow I want to see the second slave, do you understand me? And throw them out at night, they don't need to stay inside, they are not worth to live inside, after all.” She stood up to walk to two men in the entrance.  
  
Sho and Masaki followed her and Nino tried to stay in the background. Now he wasn't sure anymore if this was a good place, but it wasn't a bad one either – no, he had no idea what to think about this new home. “Dad, Yamamoto-san.” Sho and Masaki bowed.  
  
“Ah, boys. You were out today? I already told Yamamoto-san that you finally got yourself a slave.” The father smiled.  
  
“Is this the one?” Yamamoto-san stepped closer to Nino. He felt totally lost. This guy was tall and his body language and the dark eyes told Nino that he wasn't good, not even a single bit.  
  
“Yes,” Masaki said. He stepped to Nino, but Yamamoto-san pushed him a little bit to the side.  
  
“Your name?” Yamamoto-san asked roughly.  
  
“Ninomiya, master,” Nino said with a bow. He could feel his heartbeat rising. When he looked up he closed his eyes tightly when he saw the hand coming down on him, hitting his cheek.  
  
“Nice, he didn't even react when you manhandle him like he deserves it. You got a good one, boy.” Yamamoto-san patted Masaki's shoulder.  
  
Nino could feel some tears in his eyes rising. He looked at Sho and Masaki, who stared at him rather shocked. “Thank .... you ... master,” he said to Yamamoto-san, like he had learned it - be always obedient to the upper ones.  
  
“It's Sho's slave, Yamamoto-san,” Masaki said, „I have my own, but he's asleep after I tried him, and we should get back down now, because I don't want him to wake up alone in my bedroom, who knows which ideas he has when he's alone.”  
  
Yamamoto-san laughed. “Yes, maybe this crap steals something from you. You better get back to him.”  
  
Nino saw Masaki and Sho exchanging a look with their parents before they started walking. Sho pushed on Nino's arm roughly. “Come, it's time that I have some fun with you.”  
  
Nino felt the fear in him rising. No, please don't, he just thought.  
  
~~~  
  
Masaki felt his hands trembling when they came back to his kitchen. “Sit down there.” He pointed at the couch and looked at Nino till he was sitting there. He got up to the fridge and pulled one package with ice cubes out of it.  
  
He stepped to Nino, but Sho took the cubes from him. “He's my slave after all,” Sho said with a smile and sat next to Nino. He pulled some hair strand away and placed the cubes on Nino's cheek. The slave winced and pressed out a painful sigh.  
  
“I am really sorry.” Masaki bowed.  
  
Nino stared at him. “What for, Ma .... Masaki.”  
  
Masaki sighed. That was the reason why he hated this world so much. There had been so much injustice in this world and sometimes he wondered when this had started. “That's not right, this whole system is just fucking shit.”  
  
He blushed when he saw all of them looking at him and Satoshi finally laughed out loud. “I never hear you talking like this, that's great.”  
  
Masaki wanted to retort something when he heard a moan from his sleeping room. “Have you found something, Satoshi?”  
  
Satoshi nodded at him. “Yes. This fruit is highly poisoned, but not because the fruit itself is poisonous, but because of the ground they grow onto. In some parts of the country the ground is mixed with a kind of silver crystalized stone, which makes everything in and around it poisonous.”  
  
“Is there a chance to heal it,” Nino asked. "Sorry, I didn't want to talk without being asked.” Nino bowed apologetically.  
  
“It's okay,” Masaki said with a smile.  
  
“Yes, there is a chance, and I already saw that Masaki has everything I need in his winter garden.” Satoshi smiled. “I already collected some flowers from there and I just need some special powder, but I have it in my car. I will tell Ryo to come here to get me some.” Satoshi pulled out his walkphone and typed something in it.  
  
“He shall be here in a few moments. I will cook this special tea, you have to give it to Jun every hour till tomorrow morning. He should feel better by tomorrow, but he shall stay in bed for two more days, but the worst should be over tomorrow,” Satoshi explained.  
  
Masaki sighed in relieve. Those were for sure good news. He turned when he heard someone coming down the stairs. The door was closed, but he was sure that wasn't Ryo, so he raised his hands to warn the others. He could see Sho throwing the cubes behind the couch and he pushed Nino down on the ground. “Mom?” Masaki said when the door got opened.  
  
Their mother came into the room and smiled at them. She looked upstairs if someone had followed her and she closed the door behind her. “Listen,” she whispered when she stood in the middle of the kitchen. “Be really careful, okay? You know about our position and that there are a lot of important people walking in and out of our house, and that there are enough people who want to do something bad to us, and a little scandal would be perfect for them.” She turned again.  
  
She walked up to Nino, who got smaller when she stood right in front of him, maybe he feared to get slapped again, but she knelt in front of him, placing her hand on Nino's chin and turned it to the side where he had gotten the harsh slap. “It doesn't look that bad. Do you have ice?” She asked.  
  
Sho grinned at her and climbed behind the couch to get the package. “Clever,” she laughed. “Keep it cooled and everything should be alright in a few hours.” She stood up and walked to the sleeping room. “Oh my, oh my,” she said. “So this is the truth behind the second slave.” She came back to Masaki, who just nodded at her.  
  
“I want to help him, and we already have a antitoxic drink, but Satoshi need to mix it,” Masaki explained.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Masaki opened it. “Master, I bring the things you asked for,” a young man said.  
  
Satoshi came closer. “Thank you Ryo. Come in and sit on the ground where you belong,” Satoshi said. He raised his head and Masaki nodded. There was someone listening from above.  
  
Masaki closed the door and walked back to the kitchen. “There is someone listening,” he whispered.  
  
Masaki's mother smiled at him. She stepped closer and brushed Masaki's cheek, before she smiled at her second son. “I really raised two great boys,” she said proudly. “You give them what they deserve when someone asks me up there. And if someone asks why they sleep inside, we tell them that they have their duties to fulfil inside.” Masaki had his caring and gentle character from his mother, but he still had to learn to be hard and careless when they were with others.  
  
“Thank you mom,” Masaki said with a smile.  
  
She shook her head. “Nothing to thank me, but please be really careful.” She opened the door and turned round for a last time. “So you are aware now what you have to do with the slaves. And if they don't do as you please, show them who the master here is.” She winked at Masaki.  
  
“Yes mom, thanks for your lesson,” Masaki said.  
  
“Of course, I have to tell you how to work with them, you never had an own slave after all.” She waved at them and closed the door behind her.  
  
Masaki waited some moments before he stepped to Ryo, taking the items out of his hands. “Let's start this.”  
  
He placed everything on the cooking island and looked at Satoshi.  
  
Satoshi looked at his slave. “Thank you Ryo, please sit down, and wait till I am done here.”  
  
Ryo nodded. He took place next to Nino and smiled at him.  
  
Sho stood up to join them in the kitchen. “What can I do?”  
  
Masaki looked at Sho with eyes wide open. “You know, maybe it's better if you stay away from kitchen.” Sho was a mess when it came to cooking, maybe because they had always had maids at home, but Masaki would call himself at least not helpless in kitchen.  
  
“You can collect some sugarloaf,” Satoshi suggested.  
  
“But I thought that flower is extinct,” Ryo asked in surprise.  
  
“No, I managed it to make it bloom again. Just in my little winter garden, but at least we could get one ancient flower back in our time, where hardly any nature occurs,” Masaki said sadly, but also a little proud because of his success in making it bloom again. It was a sad picture when he looked outside. Of course in their garden around the house they had various rare flowers, trees and grasses bloom, but just because they had enough money to import it from far away. Masaki didn't look at the nature outside their territory, because it was too sad for him. There were mostly stones, sand and maybe some cactus around. It looked like the pictures of deserts he had seen in his grandfather's house, who had often told him stories about his grandfather.  
  
No matter how happy Masaki had been, or how much he loved his life, he always had this sad feeling that this world was nothing than a big mess. He shook his head and concentrated on Satoshi's instructions. 


	4. Chapter 4

Nino looked at Sho, who walked up to the others to help with the preparations for the tea. He could still feel the ice cubes on his cheek. It burnt. His cheek still felt numb after the slap and the ice, but the rest of his body felt awake like it hadn't felt for a long time.

Everything around him was spinning. This day was pretty much too much for him, and he just wanted to sleep. He looked at the other slave next to him. This Ryo looked healthy, even though he seemed a little too thin, but he didn't look unhealthy.

“Don't worry, they’ll help your friend.” Ryo smiled at him.

Nino blinked. Ryo dared to talk with him. Didn't he know that this was strictly forbidden? Nino looked at the others, but they seemed to be in a private discussion about herbs and their usage.

“I hope so, because Jun's my friend,” Nino dared to say. He could see Sho walking up to him, and he already feared a punishment for talking, but Sho smiled at him.

“Come, I'll show you Masaki's winter garden and all his rare flowers and herbs.”

Nino nodded and stood up. When he entered the garden, Nino felt like being in a different world. It was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. The world outside seemed grey and dark, but this was paradise. “Wow, that's amazing.”

Nino looked around. It was rather hot in this garden, but Nino guessed that the flowers needed the hot and kind of wet air to bloom here. Around him were flowers in all kind of colours and shapes. Nino hadn’t seen the most of them ever before. He felt like he had entered a different world.

Sho chuckled. “Yeah, it is. I don't know how he makes this, but Masaki's amazing when it's about nature and everything concerning gardening.”

Nino walked further, but immediately stopped when he saw a big dog lying there like a white tiger - at least it had a tiger's size. He walked backwards and bumped into Sho. “Oh, don't be afraid.” Nino winced when he felt Sho's hands on his shoulders. “That's Masaki's dog. I have the same one, same size.” Sho stepped to the animal and stroked the fur. The dog grunted. “Masaki has the strong wish to help people or animals who need him, that's why the dogs are here, and the, five turtles in the pond over there. They are probably the last five turtles in the world. And we don't talk about the last parrots he has in the big outdoor cage right behind the winter garden. Or the racoons, which steal our shoes from outside, or the squirrels we always feed with nuts.” Sho laughed.

“That are a lot of animals,” Nino said. He didn’t want to get closer to this big dog, because he didn’t like dogs. When he had been a child he once got bitten by a dog. Since then he had been afraid of dogs.

“Yes, there are a lot of animals around here. We have a few more animals in the gardens outside, but I will show you some day,” Sho explained. He stepped to a small square on the ground and took some sugarloaf from there. “Here, that should be enough for the tea.”

He handed Nino the leaves. Nino had never seen such a plant before. He twisted the green leaves between his fingers. “That is an interesting plant,” Nino said.

“It is. My grandfather told us that back in old days they ate this plant like a salad,” Sho explained.

“Salad?” Nino asked. He had never heard that word before.

“Yes, they ate it rare with oil.” Sho stood up and knocked off the flower soil from his clothes.

Nino squinched up his face. He couldn’t imagine eating this plant rare with oil. That sounded disgusting.

They walked back into the kitchen and Nino could already smell some herbs. He looked at the pot in the middle of the cooking island. “Here,” he said and handed Masaki the sugarloaf.

He sat back on the couch to Ryo. “Have you seen the turtles in the pond?” Ryo asked him with a big smile. How could he be so happy? Slaves weren’t that happy at all. There was nothing good in their life. They just existed. They were here to be used and not to be full of emotions.

Nino shook his head. “I haven’t, but Sho-san told me about them. Maybe I can see them some day.”

Ryo smiled at him. This wasn’t a faked smile, it was pure happiness in his eyes. “I am sure they’ll show them to you.”

Nino breathed out deeply. He looked at Jun, who was still unconscious. He looked so pale and thin, and Nino feared again that he wouldn’t survive the next days. He saw Masaki running up and down in the kitchen. He opened the fridge once more and Nino blinked. It was full with food and drinks. Nino had never seen so much food at once. He stroked with his hand over his stomach. It was grumbling.

Nino blushed when he saw Sho turning to him. “Sorry,” he murmured a slight flush on his cheeks.

“No problem,” Sho said with a smile. He took a piece of bread and handed it to Nino. Nino wanted to take a bite, but Sho stopped him. “Wait, you need to put something onto the bread. Just bread is not enough.”

Not enough? Nino had eaten only bread and some oatmeal gruel during the last years. And sometimes there had been two or three days without food. He looked at Sho, who handed him some thin pieces of cheese and a hard cured sausage. This was too good to be true. He smelled at the food before he dared to take a bite. “Is everything okay?” Ryo asked.

Nino hadn’t realized that he had started crying. “Yes,” he said. He couldn’t remember when he had eaten something like this for the last time. One time long ago he had stolen a piece of sausage, but this had been long ago.

“You really need a bed, right?” He hadn’t recognized that Sho had sat next to him. Nino was too lost in his thoughts.

He looked at Sho, nodding slowly. “Can you do this on your own?” Sho asked his brother, who nodded.

“Sure, we are almost done. Get some rest, Nino,” Masaki said.

“Thank you, master,” Nino whispered, he even forgot that he wasn’t forced to call his new owner like this.

~~~

Masaki stirred in the pot till the leaves of the sugarloaf were almost ripped in tiny pieces.

“It's enough now,” Satoshi said. He took the sieve and let the water drop into a big cup. It looked green and grey, and Masaki didn't want to think about tasting it. The smell was far away from good, but as long as it would help Jun, everything was perfect. “Try to get him drinking it in between half an hour. I warn you, the night won't become funny, but after he got rid of all the poisonous stuff in his stomach he'll feel better. Give him some bread or hot cinnamon tea when he's thirsty or hungry. Nothing else, okay, Masaki? Otherwise it might become worse.”

“Okay, got it,” Masaki said. He bowed. “Thanks Satoshi for your help. I'll call you tomorrow? Maybe next time we'll have the chance to eat together?”

Satoshi smiled at him. “That would be nice. I want to get to know your slaves after all.” He turned to Ryo. “Come, we'll go now.”

“Yes, Satoshi. Bye Masaki, till next time.” Ryo waved. Masaki could remember when Satoshi bought Ryo from an owner not far away from here. Ryo had been afraid and he was so shy and hardly able to stand a look from someone, but Satoshi had changed him, and this was Masaki's goal, he wanted his slaves to find something worth to live. Whatever it would need to make them feel good, Masaki would do it.

Masaki took the cup and walked to his sleeping room. Jun shifted in the bed, his forehead sweaty and his cheeks pale. He sat at the border of the bed and placed the cup on the nightstand. “Jun?” He said, but the slave didn't look at him.

Masaki sighed. He pulled on Jun's shoulders and sat him up. He patted Jun's cheeks till the slave opened his eyes. Masaki smiled at him. “Please drink this.” He took the cup and helped Jun taking a sip. Jun coughed but took a second nip of the liquid. They repeated this till Jun had emptied the whole cup. “Good, you'll feel very bad soon, but it'll be over afterwards, I promise.”

Masaki tilted his head. “Even though I think you can't feel worse than you feel now, but okay.” He stood up and left the sleeping room. The slave should take some rest while Masaki would take care of his animals. He stepped to his winter garden and looked up at the sky. It was already getting dark outside and Masaki could hear his father ordered the butler to close the gate. Nights were dangerous out there, but Masaki had never been afraid in his home. He took the bowl with the dog's food and placed it on the ground. “Here you have,” he said and stroked the dog's fur, who already brushed his side, his tail wiggling happily.

Masaki walked over to the pond and let some food drop down there. He could see a small head appearing, taking some of the food slowly.

Masaki winced when he heard something in his room falling down. He headed back to the sleeping room, seeing Jun on the floor, coiled up on the ground, breathing heavily. Masaki knelt next to him, his fingers pressing on Jun's neck. “Your pulse is high. Come, you'll need to throw up soon.” He took Jun and brought him to the bathroom.

Jun sat on the ground, his head rested against the wall. He had his eyes half open, his hand stroked his belly. “I will work hard to pay my debts, Master.” It was the first thing he said, and Masaki could feel shivers running down his spine. Jun's voice was beautiful.

“Nah, don't be stupid.” Masaki waved his hand. Jun looked up at him, his eyes showing an utter surprise. Masaki wanted to say something further, but Jun moaned out loud before he leaned forward to the toilet and threw up. Luckily Masaki had seen enough during his career as doctor, so he didn't care helping the young slave with his pain.

After a while he could see Jun's head resting on the toilet seat, his eyes already closed again. “Do you feel better?” Masaki wanted to know.

“A little bit, but master, I have a plea,” Jun pressed out.

“What do you need?” Masaki asked.

“Please don't use me tonight, I think I won't bear it.” Jun breathed out. He was pale and he was shivering because he got weaker after throwing up.

Masaki fisted his hands. He felt a slight anger rising in him, not because of Jun's words, but because he already feared that Jun would say something like this. What the hell had happened with him in past? Masaki wasn't sure if he wanted to know it.

“Don't be afraid, I won't use you, like you call it.” Masaki brushed Jun's hair. “Are you able to stand up?”

Jun nodded and tried standing up. He wobbled left and right till he lost balance and fell forward, but Masaki reacted fast enough to catch him. “Okay, you get back to bed, now.”

He placed Jun under the blanket and walked out of the room. He could hear Jun moaning behind him. “You don't stay master?”

Masaki smiled at him. “You need some rest, I sleep on the couch.”

Jun looked at him, biting his lips nervously. “I disgust you because of my illness, right master?” He tried to sit up. “I am sorry, I am the worst slave. I understand if you give me back to the shop, but please keep Nino-kun.” Jun bowed on the bed.

Masaki stared at him. He didn't even know what to say. His stomach was twitching painfully and he wanted to shake and yell and Jun, because he shouldn't talk like this about himself. Masaki's anger rose. He stepped closer to the bed. His hands were still in fists and he breathed in deeply. Masaki could see Jun shifting nervously, like he was afraid that he'd get punished for what he had said.

Masaki sat next to him. “Nothing will happen, okay?” He smiled. “Sleep now, and we'll talk about everything when you feel better.”

Masaki raised his hands when he saw that Jun was about to say something. “I won't bring you back to this shop, I promise. You and Nino will stay here.”

Jun looked at his hands. “Thank you, master.”

Masaki brushed Jun's hair. “Oh please, don't say master when we are alone or with my brother and Nino. I don't like that. I am Masaki.”

Jun looked at him like he had seen a ghost. He blushed a little. “I promise to be ready for you to use me by tomorrow.” He bowed again.

No, Masaki didn't want to think about what Jun meant with 'use'. This was far away from what he wanted to imagine. “Master, sorry, Masaki, I don't want to sleep in master's bed, please let me sleep on the couch or on the floor. I don't want to use your property.”

Masaki shook his head. “If you don't stop speaking like this, I really get angry.”

Jun bowed again. “I don't want you to be angry with me, sorry, Masaki.” He looked up. “You can punish me for whatever I did.”

It was helpless, Masaki wouldn't change Jun's submissive character in a few days. He could see Jun's face getting pale again. He must have felt bad, even though he seemed much better than a few hours ago. “Okay, how about I sleep next to you?” Masaki suggested. “So you don't need to sleep somewhere else, and you don't feel bad, because you think you don't deserve to stay in my bed, while I am on the couch?”

Jun needed some time till he nodded at Masaki. He slipped back under the blanket and closed his eyes. “I am weak, but if you don't need me much to do, you can ...” Jun started but Masaki immediately shrieked.

“Oh god, no.” He waved his hands. “You sleep now, and if I hear the words 'you can use me' again from you, I get really angry.”

“Sorry, master,” Jun said before Masaki could hear him breathing steadily. He was obviously asleep again. He sighed. How should he help Jun out of this 'I am just a thing to be used' thoughts. Masaki walked to his kitchen. He definitely needed a drink, but there was nothing in his fridge.

“Hey.” Masaki turned when his brother entered his kitchen with two glasses of wine. “You need one?”

“Oh god yes,” Masaki moaned.


	5. Chapter 5

Sho guided Nino into a small room right next to the kitchen. “Here, this is your room.” Nino walked into it. He stunned. It was small, but this should be his? He had never had a room for his own. Again he felt some tears in him coming up. He still had the food in his hands. He wasn't able to eat much, it tasted too good, and he was afraid that he wouldn't get something that delicious soon again.   
  
Nino stood at the door to his room. “The bed, ...” Nino whispered. He looked at Sho, who stared at him, irritated.   
  
“Is something wrong? You don't like the bed?” Sho asked.   
  
Nino shook his head. “I never had a bed before. Except the times I was allowed to stay with Master. But after he used me, he mostly threw me out of the house.”   
  
Nino could see Sho's eyes getting dark. Was he mad? “I am sorry that I talked about my old master, that won't happen again, I know you own me now.” He bowed.   
  
Sho shook his head. “No, I just don't want to hear how they treated you.” Sho guided Nino into the room. “In the closet are some basic things, but we need to go shopping soon. My clothes won't fit you, so you need your own things.”  
  
“Yes, Sho-san,” Nino said. “Thank you.”   
  
“No need to thank me. It was Masaki's idea after all, and he chose you.” Sho smiled. “Okay, eat your food and then go to bed, okay? You need some rest.”  
  
Nino looked at the food. He could feel his stomach grumble again. Yes, he'd eat this now, and he'd enjoy it, even though this dream was just lasting a few hours, but it was better than Nino had ever believed it could be.   
  
“Thank you.” Nino bowed. “I leave the door open, if you need me, call for me.”  
  
Sho shook his head. “I don't think I'll need something today from you.”  
  
Nino smiled. “I am here to fulfil your needs, Sho-san.”   
  
He could see Sho blushing. He nibbled on his lower lip. Was he really embarrassed? This was so different from all the masters Nino had experienced. “Please go to sleep and rest well.” Sho bowed.   
  
“I will,” Nino answered with a smile. For the first time since he could remember he felt save and just good.   
  
“I am downstairs with my brother now, if you need something, use this.” Sho handed him a walkphone. “Please don't roam around in the house on your own. I don't want to imagine what happens when the wrong people see you.”  
  
“Yes, Sho-san.” Nino took the item and brushed over it. He had never had something like this. “Sho-san?”  
  
“Yes?”   
  
“How does this thing work?” Nino asked a little embarrassed.   
  
Sho stepped closer to him again. “See, you turn it on here.” He pressed one button on the right side of the mobile. You can see the four lights up there?   
  
“Yes.” Nino looked at the different colours blinking in the corner of the display.   
  
“Green is Masaki's phone, red is mine, blue is Satoshi and purple will be Jun's. You can see that these are connected with your phone. You are able to call them when you want to,” Sho explained.   
  
Nino pressed the small red button on the right side and shrieked a little when the mobile in his hands started vibrating. “Is this normal?”   
  
Sho laughed. “Yes, it just means that you are able to call the other person.” He took his mobile out of his pocket and showed Nino the incoming call. “I think you don't need to know more for now. I'll show you more options during the next days.”   
  
“Yes, Sho-san, thank you.” Nino said with a bow. He stepped back when he saw a big shadow appearing behind Sho. And when the shadow barked, Nino had the feeling to jump backwards.   
  
Sho laughed out loud. “Oh, I forgot, this is Akira. He is my dog. The big brother from the one you have seen at Masaki's place.”   
  
Nino felt uneasy. He really didn't like these animals. He shivered when the dog came closer and sniffed on his hand. Nino shrieked when a cold tongue licked his hand. Nino pulled his hand away immediately, which Akira seemed to understand as play and jumped up and down in front of Nino. Slowly he felt like panicking. He could here Sho laughing and soon he pulled Akira down from Nino. “He is really young and he likes toying around. Sometimes he is a little bit wild, but he really doesn't do something bad.”   
  
“Okay,” Nino said, his heart still pounding against his chest. “I am not used to dogs.”   
  
“No problem, he stays outside your room. Go and get some rest now.” Sho smiled at him. Nino nodded and closed the door behind him. Finally he was alone, and he had a place for him - only him. It was strange but he missed Jun next to him. He had always been the one who calmed Nino down when he was about to cry or to scream. Even though the room was small, it felt almost too big for him. Nino stood up. He could feel the cold floor touching his naked feet, but it didn't feel bad at all. Nino opened the door and peeked outside. He smiled when he saw the dog on the other side. “Akira?” He asked.   
  
The dog looked up at him and came closer, his tail wiggling. “You won't bite me when I let you in, right?” He asked. He sighed and knelt down. “I can't be alone, you know.”  
  
He slipped back into his room and waited till the dog joined him. His fear of being alone was bigger than the fear from dogs. He closed the door and Akira was already lying on his bed, using almost the half of the space. “Fine, we share a bed,” Nino murmured and climbed back under the blanket. At least he wasn't alone anymore.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki took a sip of his wine. He had experienced this day to be calmer. He didn't know why he thought that buying a slave would be something easy, but now he was back to reality.   
  
“What are you thinking about?” Sho asked.   
  
Masaki looked at him. “Their life isn't only a mess, it's horrible. I think I'd have jumped down somewhere.”   
  
Sho nodded. “I wonder if I really want to know the whole story about them. I don't know if I go and kill someone when I get to know about it.” Sho's eyes rested on the closed bedroom door. “Is he alright?”   
  
Masaki nodded. “He threw up a few times, but I think he'll be fine now.” He bit his lips. “Sho-chan?”   
  
“Hm?”   
  
“He told me that I can use him, if I want to, and even though he might be unconscious, I can still use him. I never heard such horrible words,” Masaki said. He could already feel some tears in his eyes. Damn, he wanted to stop being a crybaby. But sometimes he couldn't prevent himself from crying, especially not when something touched him like this. His feelings turned upside down. He felt angry, sad, frustrated and helpless.   
  
“Yeah, Nino said something similar. It reminds me that we really have a good life, even though we sometimes complain about it,” Sho said. “But they got a second chance now, Masaki. You gave them a place to stay and something to be worth living.” Sho still stared at the door. “At least I hope that they'd like it here.”  
  
“I hope father's friends won't come here often. I don't want to see things like today again,” Masaki grumbled. “Yamamoto-san is one of the ugliest persons I have ever seen.”  
  
“You know, I checked something before I came back down here.” Sho smiled at him. “I searched in the W-net for law basics, and I found something interesting.”   
  
Oh no, Masaki already knew this face. His brother was in law-mode. Next to being a doctor he had started studying law, just for fun. Masaki would never understand it, but sometimes it was really interesting - just sometimes, okay, rarely...”What did you find?” Oh god, he'd so regret the question.   
  
“Based on the rule from 2135, there is a paragraph in general after war-law. You know that they started with getting themselves slaves back then, but it had been not that cruel as it is today,” Sho explained. “But there is a paragraph in the law saying that no one is allowed to touch your property. They don't call it by name there, but in another paragraph it's said that slaves belong to your property - so basically no one is allowed to touch them.”   
  
Masaki blinked. That sounded good, but what should he do with this information? “So if Yamamoto-san or someone else comes and touches Jun I shall say that ... ?” Masaki asked.   
  
“You tell them based on paragraph 134a no one is allowed to touch your things,” Sho chuckled.  
  
“And you think the men listen to me?” Masaki tilted his head. He knew these shabby old men wouldn't react to such words.   
  
“Yeah, it's law after all,” Sho insisted. Maybe it was better if Sho would tell them this. He would be able to think of more wise law-words when they'd retort something.   
  
Masaki could hear a noise from the other room. He drank the rest of the wine in his glass and smiled at his brother. “I think I need to take care of him now.”   
  
“Sure,” Sho said. “Masaki?” He asked when Masaki was already on the way to the bedroom.   
  
“Yes?”   
  
“Why did you choose this two slaves?” Sho wanted to know.   
  
Masaki shrugged. He had seen Jun looking at him with his dark brown eyes. And he had seen Nino, his eyes were well aware of Jun and he watched out every step Jun made. He would have protected him, no matter what. It reminded Masaki of him and Sho. “I think they are similar to us.”   
  
"I see." Sho nodded. “Good night, little one.”  
  
Masaki giggled. “Little one, who's taller than you are.” He could see Sho rolling his eyes. “Good night, big one.”   
  
Masaki turned off the lights and went to his bedroom.   



	6. Chapter 6

Masaki opened his eyes when he felt someone shifting next to him. He looked into those dark brown eyes again, and for a moment everything around him seemed to stop. When Jun sat up Masaki felt like waking up from his numbness. Jun’s cheeks were deeply red. “I am sorry, master, I will go and get out of here immediately. Or do you need me? I can stay here of course.” He pushed the blanket to the side and wanted to slip out of his clothes.   
  
Masaki blinked. Oh god, he felt the heat in his body rising. He pushed on Jun's arms and pulled him down on the bed again. Masaki shifted and placed the blanket over Jun’s body again. His heart almost felt like jumping out of his chest and he could hear his blood rushing through his veins. Jun was thin and he looked sick, but nevertheless he was good-looking and his eyes were honest and warm. Masaki could get lost in them quite easily. He shook his head.   
  
“You are sick, and you stay in bed,” Masaki said.   
  
“Master?” Jun seemed confused.   
  
Masaki placed his hand on Jun's forehead. His skin didn’t feel that hot anymore. “Your fever is gone.” He put his fingers on Jun's neck. “And your pulse is almost normal again. Do you remember how you got here yesterday, Jun?”   
  
“I can remember that master bought me and Nino, and I can remember that we came here and Nino went away from me and I got down here. But I am sorry, I can't remember anything further, master,” Jun explained.   
  
This wasn’t surprising. Jun had suffered from a high fever and he was more or less unconscious for the whole trip here. “Okay,” Masaki sighed. “First of all, I am Masaki, and not master or such a crap.” Jun stared at him with his eyes wide open. “At least not when we are alone, or my brother is with us. By the way he is the owner of Nino now. You can call us by our names. When we are in society, we need to cover up perfectly. There we have to be your masters.”   
  
Jun nodded. “Is Nino okay?” He shifted and raised his hands to apologize. “Sorry, I talked without being asked.”   
  
Masaki smiled. “You can talk whenever you want to.” He raised his hand to brush away some of Jun’s hair, but he pulled back when he saw Jun moving. “Yes, Nino is in the second floor. My brother lives up there, my parents live in the ground floor, and because I needed a special way to the garden, I took the cellar,” he chuckled.   
  
“You must be hungry?” Masaki asked. He could see that Jun wasn't sure if he was allowed to say something. “You ate this strange fruit, right?”   
  
Jun nodded. “I had been so hungry. It had been days since I got something to eat. I didn't know what would happen afterwards. Some others ate it too, I guess they are...” He didn’t say anything further.   
  
“Don't worry, it's over now. Just don't eat something you don't know anymore, okay?” Masaki said. In their house Jun wouldn’t have a problem with food, because Masaki’s fridge was always filled with meat, fruits and vegetables. Masaki scanned Jun's body. He was way too thin. He almost seemed to get lost in Masaki's shirt.   
  
“Okay, Mast - Masaki.” Jun's tension seemed to fade a bit.   
  
“Hey, how about having some breakfast now. I will call Nino and Sho, and they shall come downstairs here?” Masaki suggested.   
  
Jun nodded shyly. Masaki scratched his head. Damn, he was so bad with such things. He forgot how Jun must have felt here. He was a slave after all and not used to have breakfast with his master in the kitchen, or even in a room. “Okay, here.” Masaki handed him the walkphone. “With this thing you can call one of us. You can try it later on, if you want.” Masaki pointed at the display. “Look, this coloured squares are the connected phones. I am green.” He pointed at the small coloured squares. “If the square is coloured, I am online and you can call me.” Masaki waited a moment till Jun took the phone. “Red is my brother, and yellow is Nino. Blue is Satoshi, he is the one who helped me with your medicine yesterday. And purple is your phone.”   
  
“I've never seen something like this.” Jun twisted the item between his fingers.   
  
“Some ages ago people had a thing called mobile phone. I've seen it in various books. But humans got scanned by parliaments and by other people who wanted to know everything about them. Then during world war 4 they destroyed this technique. My father is highly interested in these old things, and he made them for us. They are simple, and you can only call someone, but that's enough to stay in contact,” Masaki explained. He had always been interested in ancient times. He wondered how life had been there, where they had fruits and nature everywhere around them, and not a deserted island, surrounded by almost black sea.   
  
Jun looked at him.  “That's really interesting.” He turned the thing in his hands.   
  
“It is, and please carry it with you all time, okay? We are able to reach you with it,” Masaki said. “And now, let's prepare some breakfast before my brother gets the idea to help me in kitchen.”   
Masaki was in a good mood, but he was well aware that Jun wasn't feeling relaxed next to him. That’s why Masaki decided to act as normal as possible. Maybe Jun would warm up on his own.   
  
He stepped out of his bed and walked to the bathroom. “Oh, this is the bathroom, in case you can't remember anymore,” Masaki said. He walked to a second door right next to the bathroom. “And this will be your room. I hope it's okay that you have to cross my room to get to the bathroom.”   
  
“If it's okay?”  Jun asked. He slipped out of his bed.   
  
“Ah, yes, because it's not perfect to walk through another ones room when you want to go to the bathroom at night. But I have a deep sleep, I think a dinosaur could stomp through my room and I wouldn't wake up,” Masaki laughed.   
  
Jun stood next to him, looking into the small room. It wasn't perfect, because it was small and there were only two small windows on the other side, but there was a bed and a closet and a table with a chair. Masaki had arranged everything when he had decided to buy a slave. It was his old research labour, but he had placed his stuff in the winter garden now.   
  
“I never had a bed to sleep, and I never even dreamed about an own room for myself.” Jun said. “I still wait to wake up from this dream.”   
  
Masaki smiled. Jackpot – Jun’s tension got less and Masaki could see that his stiffened shoulders relaxed more and more. “Oh, if you leave my bedroom, you get into the living room when you walk straight ahead. On the left side is the kitchen, and on the right side is my winter garden.” Masaki knew that he talked too much, but he was happy that Jun felt better, and his face got an almost normal colour again.   
  
“And you have three floors here?” Jun asked.   
  
Masaki nodded. “Yes, but please don't walk around alone. My father has some not so nice business partner, and they don't see slaves as humans after all.”   
  
“Why do you?” Jun wanted to know. He looked so fragile in the big shirt and the pants were hanging down his too thin hips.   
  
Masaki shrugged. “I read some articles about slaves and their so called life, and that's when I decided that I need to change something.” Masaki looked at the other. He had seen so many things during work, and he had read so many things about society, but Masaki knew that he wasn’t able to make big steps, he was just one person after all. “I can't change society, but everything I am able to do, I will do.” Masaki smiled.     
  
Jun looked at him and Masaki could see a small change in Jun’s eyes. They got lighter and Masaki thought that he could see something like beginning trust in them.   
  
“Oh, by the way, are you afraid of dogs?” Masaki asked.   
  
Jun shook his head. “No I am not. I had one when I was a child.” Masaki didn’t dare to ask further, because he feared that this would be a topic the other didn’t want to talk about. “And what about parrots, turtles, cats, racoons and squirrels?” Masaki asked instead. Okay, that sounded weird.   
  
“Don't tell me you have all this animals in your house, Master,” Jun said. “Masaki, I mean Masaki,” he corrected himself.   
  
Now it was Masaki who blushed. “No, some of them are in the garden, some in the winter garden, and my cat is … everywhere and nowhere,” he laughed. “And my dog is mostly in the winter garden, but sometimes he comes into the living room or bedroom.”   
  
Masaki saw Jun looking around in his rooms. He was still insecure and every time Masaki moved, Jun winced a bit, like he was afraid of him.   
  
“If you need something, tell me. But please, I want to say it again, don't leave my rooms without my permission. I know it feels like I am locking you, but it's the best for you,” Masaki explained.   
  
“I am your slave, I do whatever you wish me to do, Masaki-san.” Jun bowed. Great, that was exactly what Masaki didn't want. Jun shouldn't feel like a normal slave here. He should feel like a human being, even though that was difficult.   
  
“How about you get yourself a bath, and I will go and call for Sho and Nino,” Masaki said to change the topic.   
  
Jun coiled the long sleeve on his shirt between his fingers. “I ... .” He blushed.   
  
Masaki stepped closer. “Do you need something?”   
  
Jun nodded. He was visibly embarrassed talking about something. “I don't have clothes here. I mean ...,” he sighed. “Not even underwear.”   
  
Masaki breathed out. If this was the only problem ...  “Oh, don't worry.” Masaki walked back to his bedroom. He opened the door to his closet and started roaming through it. “Where did I put it?” He murmured. Finally he pulled out a closed package with underwear. “Ha, I knew I had this. They are too small for me. I ...” he scratched his head. “Gained a little weight, and now they don't fit anymore.” He handed it to Jun, who still stared at the closet.   
  
“You have so many clothes,” Jun said. “That's amazing, Masaki-san.”   
  
Masaki chuckled. He was a little bit addicted to clothes. He had collected hundreds of things during the last years and he didn't even know when he should wear all of them. He looked at his slave, and then he stepped to the closet and pulled out a jean and a black shirt with colourful sparkling patterns on it. “Take these.”   
  
Jun stepped back and raised his hands. “I can't. I am your slave, I am not made to wear normal clothes.”   
  
“Who says that?” Masaki said angrily. “Yes, you are my slave, and now take these and wear it. It's not a suggestion, it's an order.”   
  
“Yes, master.” Jun bowed. “Masaki,” he corrected himself when he saw Masaki's dark glance.   
  
Masaki started smiling. “Good. I go to get the others now, I'll take a shower upstairs and be back in a few minutes.” Masaki roamed through his things and took a shampoo, a tooth brush and some clothes with him.” He turned to Jun. “Oh, and I placed everything else for you in the bathroom. It's in the box with the rainbow on it. I didn't know your name by then, so I couldn't write your name on the box. You find everything necessary in there. And keep your walkphone with you.“   
  
Jun nodded. He still seemed scared and shy, but the biggest tension seemed to be gone.   
  
Aiba sighed. He opened the door to leave his rooms and went upstairs. He tried to prevent meeting someone else than his brother and sneaked through the ground floor upstairs where he reached the door to his brother's rooms without any trouble. 


	7. Chapter 7

  


Nino woke up when he felt a hot breath tickling his neck. He was coiled up between fur and two big paws on his belly. Panic rose in him till he saw Akira's light blue eyes resting on him. He had always been afraid of dogs, but this one was mesmerizing. He wasn't only beautiful - he had this gentle and protective look in his eyes.   
  
Nino heard a knock on the door before it got open and Sho's head appeared there. “Oh, good morning.” He smiled and opened the door further. “I already wondered where Akira is. He always scratches on my door early in the morning, because he wants something to eat, but today there was silence. I almost overslept.” He chuckled.   
  
“Oh, I am sorry, mas...Sho-san. I didn't want to take him, but I felt...,” Nino started talking fast.  
  
Sho shook his head. “No, no, it's okay. I just wondered because you said that you are afraid of dogs.”   
  
Nino nodded. “I am, but ...” he felt his cheeks burning. He was a slave, he wasn't allowed to talk about his feelings, because there shouldn't be any feelings in him. He looked at Sho and he knew that it was okay to say this. “I felt lonely. I am used to sleep with others in one room, that's why I took him with me here.”  
  
“That's okay.” Sho came up to his bed and placed some clothes on the bed. “Here, you can take them for now. We'll go shopping later on.”   
  
“Jun?” Nino asked. “How is he?”   
  
Sho smiled at him. “He feels better. Masaki takes a shower up here now, when you are done we'll go to have breakfast together.”   
  
This whole situation still felt like a dream - this was too good to be true, but Nino was already sure that he wasn't dreaming at all, but he still waited that something would change, that they were only nice and kind till they'd show their real face. There was no reason to trust them so far. “Okay, Sho-san.” Nino shifted to get Akira from him and slipped out of the bed. He heard a loud peeping tone and looked at Sho.   
  
Sho smiled at him. “It's your walkphone, you should pick up the call.”   
  
Nino looked at the item on the nightstand. It was blinking in a deep strong purple colour. He took the item and looked at the display, but there were only letters and numbers on it, he had no idea what to do. Sho came closer. “Here, you need to push that button.”   
  
“Nino?” He heard someone saying.   
  
Nino's heart jumped. “Jun,” he called out. He still held the phone in his hands, far away from his ear. Sho chuckled. “Here, you need to use it like a telephone with dial plate.” He put the phone on Nino's ear.   
  
“It works out,” Jun said on the other side.   
  
Nino felt the knot in his belly solving. He had been so afraid that something might happen to Jun, but now he was relieved. “I am so happy to hear your voice.”   
  
“I feel much better already.” Jun's voice sounded weak, but there was certain strength in it.  “Masaki-san showed me how to use this .... phone.”  
  
“Hello, Nino,” he heard someone calling in the background. It was definitely Masaki's voice.   
  
Nino could see Sho rolling his eyes. “Masaki, you are already back in your rooms?” Sho sighed. “He really is like a squirrel on Ecstasy when it's about taking a bath in the morning - except he has a meeting or something like this, then he needs hours.”   
  
“You know I can hear you,” Masaki called out.   
  
“That's good,” Sho replied.   
  
Nino chuckled, but got earnest almost immediately. Oh god, he wasn't allowed to laugh about his masters. He hoped he wouldn't regret this. But the two of them didn't seem to care about his laughter.   
  
“So, can you get yourself ready and down here, Jun and I are waiting with breakfast. And I am already terribly hungry,” Masaki whined.   
  
Sho laughed. “Oh, when Masaki is hungry, it's better to follow his order, he can get really mad when he doesn't get enough food.”  
  
Nino felt nervous. “Of course, Sho-san, I go and hurry.” He pushed the red button on the phone to disconnect the call and took the clothes from the bed to rush to the bathroom, but Sho held him back.   
  
“That was a joke, Nino. Don't worry, take a shower and come down from your tension, okay?” Sho patted Nino's head.   
  
Nino sighed. “Okay, Sho-san.”   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki took the cheese out of the fridge and placed it on the table. “Ah, we need to make some coffee, or do you like tea more?”   
  
Jun looked at him with big unknowing eyes. “Coffee?” He asked. “What is this?”   
  
Masaki tilted his head. “Oh, okay, we make some coffee and tea just in case you don't like coffee.”   
  
He took the coffee beans to put them in a coffee mill. He knew that hardly anyone knew this drink anymore, but his family had some coffee plants in their gardens - thanks to Masaki's effort they still had some self-made coffee at home. It had been Masaki's wish to plant some coffee trees, because his grandfather had always told him about this delicious drink he had had for breakfast.   
  
Masaki looked at Jun, who sat on the couch right next to his kitchen. “Sir, can I do something?” He asked.   
  
Masaki walked up to him with the mill in his hands. “You can turn the hand gear like this, and then you can see the beans turning into powder.”   
  
Jun did like he was told to and looked at the powder dropping into a glass-like cup under the mill. “Can you smell it?” Masaki asked. He earned a nod from Jun. “This is coffee.”   
  
“And you can eat it like this?” Jun wanted to know.   
  
Masaki laughed. “No, no. We need to cook it with water and then screen out the rest of the powder. It's something you can drink.”   
  
“I never heard about it.” Jun shook his head.   
  
“I have an addiction to ancient food and plants and everything concerning the living at the beginning of 2000,” Masaki explained. During his study he had learnt a lot about almost forgotten plants for medicine and a lot about illnesses and how people back then cured these. But Masaki had always wanted to learn more about it. That's why his parents had offered him one day to search through the attic, where he had found books from his grand-grand-grand-grandfather. Most of them were about biology and medicine during this time, and Masaki had gotten addicted to it. He wanted to get parts of this old time back to his time. Luckily his father had a similar interest, just that he was more into technique stuff and not plants and medicine, but at least everyone in his family supported him with his idea.   
  
“But that was 400 years ago. How can you know about these times?” Jun asked.   
  
“Books.” Masaki shrugged.   
  
  
“You'll say that more often from now on,” Masaki heard Sho's voice. “My brother has a strong need to tell everyone about his interest.”   
  
Masaki glanced at Sho. “You...” He wanted to say something further, but his look stopped at Nino, who shifted nervously from left to right.   
  
“Oh, you can go to Jun, of course,” Masaki said to Nino, and he hit the point without knowing it. Nino almost jumped to the couch and fell on his friend.   
  
“I am so happy that you feel better,” Nino chirped, but he sat up immediately and his mood changed from happy to stoic again. He was just holding Jun's hand. “I am sorry for my outburst.”   
  
Masaki and Sho exchanged a look, and Masaki was sure that they thought the same in this moment. This would be a hard way for them to bring Jun and Nino into a normal life.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki loved the smell of fresh coffee and baked ham and eggs. He placed everything on the cooking island and sat down next to Sho. He looked at Nino and Jun on the couch, sitting there, waiting like stray dogs for someone to pick them up.   
  
“Come here, the both of you,” Masaki said and pointed at the seats opposite him.   
  
They stood up and sat down without saying something. They just seemed to feel uneasy and insecure. “Have you ever eaten together with your owner at one table?”   
  
Both shook their heads. “Okay, from now on, you are allowed to eat with us here, and if you get hungry, get yourself something from the fridge, okay?” Sho said. Sometimes Masaki admired him for his strict tone and his strong appearance. He would have been a great lawyer.   
  
Jun and Nino nodded. “Good. And now let's eat.”   
  
Masaki looked at the slaves. They took a small bite from the ham and eggs, like they wanted to test it before really biting into it. Once they had tasted it, they started eating like they hadn't eaten for months - which was probably not far away from what really had happened. “Masaki-san, can I taste this strange thing - how do you call it? Coffee?” Jun asked with a thin voice. He had his head lowered, like he was afraid that Masaki would scold him for asking.   
  
He smiled at Jun and took the can to pour some of the black liquid in Jun's cup. “If you need some milk, I can bring you some. Do you want to taste this too, Nino?”   
  
Nino looked at him. “Does this taste good?” He asked while he looked at Jun, who took a sip of it.   
  
Jun wrinkled his nose. “It's strange, but it doesn't taste that bad at all.”   
  
“Okay, I taste it,” Nino said and held his cup up till Masaki had poured the liquid into it. He took a sip and pricked out his tongue. “Strange.”   
  
Masaki laughed out loud. “It's really interesting to watch you.”   
  
“Oh no, now you'll have to taste everything he tries out. Poor you,” Sho joked. Masaki threw him a dark glance, but in the end he had to smile about it. Yes, probably he was a bit of a freak.   
  
„So, we need new clothes, and Masaki, you need to visit Shiwamoto-san's house. Don't forget that he asked for your help.” Sho took out a small book of his pants. He had every meeting and appointment written down in there.   
  
“Shiwamoto-san? Shiwamoto Kei?” Jun asked. Masaki could see that he was trembling slightly.   
  
“Yes, Kei-san. He is one of my father's clients,” Masaki explained.   
  
Masaki could see Jun's hands fisting, and Nino tried to calm him down with placing his hand on Jun's thigh. “Don't think about it, Jun.” Nino looked at his friend.   
  
“You know him?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
Jun nodded. “He was my former owner till he gave me away, because I wasn't good enough anymore.”   
  
Masaki froze. Didn't the shop owner said something about Jun was used for enjoyment? He didn't like Shiwamoto-san much, but he hadn’t thought that he treated slaves that bad. Was he the one who broke Jun like this? Was he the one who caused Jun's scars?  
  
Jun looked up at him. “Please, don't lend me to him.”   
  
Masaki blinked. Lend? Why should he? “Don't worry, Jun. I am your owner, and no one else, okay?”   
  
Jun nodded. He still seemed to be shocked and much more afraid than Masaki had seen him the day before. “Do you want to stay at home instead of coming along? We can go shopping and Sho will bring you back here, you don't have to accompany me.”   
  
Jun shook his head. “As long as you don't give me away, I am okay.”   
  
Masaki was worried about taking Jun with him, but what did Sho say? No one was allowed to touch his property.


	8. Chapter 8

Nino stepped out of the carriage right behind Sho and Masaki. He had rarely been in town. His old owner had had a small cottage outside, and he hardly had taken Nino along. Nino looked back at Jun, who was still pale, but the food in the morning had seemed to help him. His cheeks were slightly rosy and he looked all in all better again.   
  
“There is the shop,” Sho said. He looked at Nino and Jun. “Please don't worry about the way we'll act now. We need to hide the fact that you don't get treated like the society wants you to be handled,” he whispered. Nino and Jun nodded.   
  
“Come,” Masaki said without smiling at them. “Get in here.” He didn't even look at them when they entered the shop. “Sit down on the ground and wait for us,” Masaki ordered.   
  
Nino was astonished how Masaki had changed his appearance in between some seconds. He didn't look gentle and nice anymore. There was a certain arrogant and harsh behaviour he had right now. And Sho next to him was not only arrogant but scary.   
  
“Yes, Master,” Jun said and did like he was told. Nino followed him. He was astonished about the way Sho and Masaki acted here. He just hoped that this was their acting and not their real face they'd show one day when they’d be alone.   
  
“Oh, hello,” the shop keeper said. “The Sakurai-brothers, nice to see you here again.” He smiled. He looked at Nino and Jun and pointed at them. “So you finally got yourself a slave? It's a good thing, really. They help you with the household and they can help you releasing some stress.” He winked.   
  
Nino felt like throwing up. He hated how people talked about them, but during the years he had learned to stay quiet, otherwise he might get killed one day by saying something he wasn't allowed to say.   
  
“True.” Sho laughed out loud.   
  
“Did you get them from the shop outside town? Hashiwara's shop?” The man asked and came closer to Nino and Jun. “Stand up,” he ordered.   
  
Nino and Jun looked at their owners. “Do what he asked you to do,” Masaki said.   
  
“Oh, they only listen to you?” The shop keeper sounded amused.   
  
“See.” Sho stepped closer to Nino, talking him by his hand roughly. “He is my property, and the only one who is allowed to touch my property is me.”  
  
The shop keeper nodded. “I understand. That's a good decision. I lend my slave to a friend, and he broke it.” He rolled his eyes. “That was really annoying. I had to buy another one, but luckily this friend gave me the money for a new one.”  
  
Nino felt the knot in his belly growing. He broke it? Did that mean he had killed the slave? He tried to stay calm. Nino felt Sho's fingers rubbing his wrist, like he wanted to tell him that he needed to stay calm, what he did.   
  
“And this is yours?” he pointed at Jun. Masaki stepped next to Jun.   
  
“Look up, when someone talks to you,” Masaki ordered and Jun obeyed.   
  
“May I?” The shop keeper wanted to step closer, but Masaki shook his head.   
  
“No. I don't want my slave to be touched by someone else than me.”   
  
“I heard that Hashiwara has a lot of broken ware recently? Some of the slaves died, and to be honest, Sakurai-san, you should change this slave with another, healthier one.” He pointed at Jun. “He doesn't look healthy, and you might get his sickness when you sleep with him.”   
  
Nino swallowed. _I am used to it, I am used to it_ , he repeated in his mind.   
  
“He is my problem, not yours. He looks spent, but I won't tell you why,” Masaki said with a sheepish grin.   
  
“Oh, oh, of course, Sakurai-san. I know what you mean, I am sorry.” The shop keeper raised his hands.   
  
“How about we get back to business?” Sho suggested. He let Nino's hand go off and stepped back to the ware on the right side.   
  
“Sure, young masters, what do you need?” The shop keeper smiled.   
  
Nino and Jun sat back on the ground. Nino observed Jun from the corner of his eyes. He really looked pale. He just hoped Masaki would keep his word and wouldn't bring Jun back to the shop.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki still felt the anger in him burning. They had left the shop some moments ago and stepped back into the carriage. Nino and Jun carried the bags to the backside and placed everything in a big box which had been fixed there.   
  
Jun sat next to him. He turned to Jun when the carriage started moving. “I am sorry for my words, but these people wouldn't understand.”   
  
“It's okay.” Jun gave him a smile.   
  
“Are you sure that you want to accompany me and not going home with Nino and Sho? You don't need to come with me to Kei-san,” Masaki said. He was afraid what would happen there, and even though he could pretend to be strong and strict, he knew that his brother played this role better than he did, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to protect Jun.   
  
“It doesn't look good when you tell him that you have a slave, but it's too weak to accompany you. Kei-san is very proud of his slaves, and he wants to show them to everyone. On the other side he wants to see the slaves from others as well to compare them with his. I just fear I am not a good choice for you, Masaki-san. He'll see me and laugh about the fact that you have already that used ware at home,” Jun said.   
  
That was the right push Masaki had needed. He'd jump right into Kei-san's face when he'd say something about Jun or his choice taking Jun with him. “Stop talking low about yourself.”   
  
“I am sorry, Masaki-san.” Jun bowed.   
  
“Masaki, be aware that Kei-san is really one of the worst losers in the world, and he'll try everything to blame you,” Sho explained.   
  
Masaki smirked at his brother. “Yes, but I am the only one with a cream for his red and swollen skin, and if he annoys me, I maybe run out of it and I am sadly not in the condition to make another bottle.”   
  
Sho laughed out loud. “You really are something. Sometimes I wonder where you got this behaviour from.”  
  
Masaki could see Jun and Nino exchanging looks. “You know what, when we are back at home you and Nino will get an exclusive tour around our garden. What do you think about it?”   
  
Jun and Nino nodded without saying something, but Masaki could see their eyes shining. “Our parents aren't at home today, and I'll send home the maids in the afternoon, so no one should be around there, and we can make a nice picnic outside, maybe we manages it to get to the sea as well.” Sho seemed to be all chipper about Masaki's idea.   
  
“I've never been to the sea. I would love to see it, Sho-san,” Nino said and Jun agreed with a firm nod.   
  
“Good, it's settled then, we go out in the afternoon.” Masaki clapped.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki and Jun kept silent on the way to Kei-san's house. Sho and Nino were already at home, and suddenly Masaki didn't feel that strong anymore. He was afraid that something might happen, and when he looked at Jun's worried expression he got even more afraid.   
  
He looked at his slave closely. Jun had beautiful eyes and he was sure that Jun's smile would be mesmerizing, he just feared that Jun hadn't smiled for a long time. Jun’s fingers danced over his neck nervously, and Masaki could get lost in Jun’s eyes, even though he looked out of the window and not at Masaki. He shook his head. What was he thinking here? Yes, Jun was probably one of the most beautiful men he had ever seen, but he couldn't fall for him.   
  
“How long have you been with Kei-san?” Masaki asked after a while.   
  
Jun looked at him. He didn't like this topic, Masaki could see it in Jun's body language. “Three years,” he just said.   
  
“He was the one you have been before you came to the shop?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
Jun nodded. Masaki had tones of questions, but he didn't dare to ask a single one of them.   
  
“We are here,” Masaki heard the driver calling and the carriage stopped.   
  
“Give me a sign when something is wrong,” Masaki said to Jun, even though he himself had no idea how this sign should look like.   
  
Jun blinked at him. “Yes, Master,” he said and Masaki wanted to say something about Jun’s words, but he could already see Kei-san coming up to them.   
  
“Sakurai-san, you are here. Oh, and you have a sla....oh dear, oh dear,” he chirped and Masaki already hated it. He looked at Jun like he was a piece of meat - but a piece of old meat. “Jun, you got a place to stay?”  
  
He wanted to touch Jun, but Masaki was already at Kei-san's side. “Listen, Kei-san, no one, really no one is allowed to touch my slave. Not even my brother. He is my property.”  
  
Kei-san laughed out loud. “Sakurai-san, I already touched this little thing in ways you will never dream of.” Masaki hated this piercing look Kei-san had. “Maybe you should change him into something new, you know. It's good to have new stuff, and not old and already used one. I can give you one of my new slaves. They are all fresh and strong. You can leave Jun here, I will take care of him. He won't be a burden for you anymore.”   
  
Masaki breathed in deeply. Even though Jun stood a few steps behind him, Masaki could feel Jun's panic. He feared that Masaki would give him away, and that made Masaki angry. Of course he understood Jun's thoughts. They didn't know each other, and Jun wasn’t in the state to trust Masaki, but it made Masaki angry that Jun was even considering that he’d give him away. Sometimes Masaki wished that he'd live in earlier centuries, where Japan was still a country where everyone was equal. “You know Kei-san, if you dare to lay a hand on my property, we'll have a bigger problem, like I am running out of medicine for you. So don't you dare to get close to him.” Masaki shrugged with an evil smile.   
  
“Hey, it was just a suggestion.” Kei-san stepped to Jun and wanted to touch him, but Masaki took his hand away.  
  
“I really mean what I said. Don't you dare to touch him.” Masaki's eyes got dark and his voice was lowered. He didn't know that he was able to sound that way, but Jun had woken up his protective instinct.   
  
Masaki pulled on his bag and gave Kei-san a bottle with white cream in it. “Use this, you'll feel better soon.”  
  
“Come on, Jun, we go.” Masaki pulled on Jun's arm.   
  
“You know, Sakurai-san,” Kei-san said. “It's dangerous to see the humanity in slaves. And it's dangerous to fall for them.”  
  
Masaki turned to the other, who just smiled evilly. “You have no idea what I do with my property and it's none of your business.”  
  
“Just warn you,” he chirped before he got back into the house.   
  
~~~  
  
“Masaki-san?” Jun asked when they were already back in Masaki's rooms. He roamed through the kitchen, searching for his liquor he had once made. Today Masaki felt like he needed something strong.   
  
“What?” He yelled but immediately felt sorry for being rude. “I am sorry.”   
  
“I just wanted to apologize for getting you into trouble.” Jun knelt on the floor and bowed. “Maybe Kei-san is right and you should bring me back to the shop.”   
  
Masaki pushed on Jun's arm to get him up. “I already told you, you shall stop talking about yourself like this.”   
  
He could see Jun nibbling on his lower lip, and his eyes got teary. “But I am really ...”   
  
“Stop it.” Masaki brushed over Jun's cheek. “I chose you and you'll stay with me, end of the discussion. And I don't want to hear that you are not worth for … whatever … again from you, understand?”   
  
Jun nodded. “I am not angry with you, really. I just hate our system.” Masaki added.   
  
“But your reputation?” Jun asked.   
  
Masaki snorted. “As if I care about such things.” He took Jun's hand. “Listen, I wanted to give you a place where you can feel save, and I am well aware of the fact that this is very hard to hide, and that there'd be people around me, who try to destroy my plan. And Kei-san is one of these guys, and that makes me angry, but it has nothing to do with you.”   
  
Masaki could see tear drops running down Jun's cheek. He breathed out like he got rid of an enormous tension in his body. “Please, stop crying, or I'll start crying too. I am really teary sometimes.” Masaki laughed. “Or how my brother calls me: crybaby – so probably he’d call us crybaby pair, when he’d see us both crying in the kitchen,” he added with a smile.   
  
He heard Jun sobbing combined with a small laugh. “There it is! The smile I wanted to see. I already mused how you look like when you are smiling, and here it is,” Masaki chirped. Jun's smile grew bigger and the small wrinkles around his lips curled perfectly around them. Masaki's heart jumped. Yes, that's what he wanted to see.   
  
“How about joining Nino and Sho? I think they are already outside, and I hope that Sho doesn't eat all of my cherries,” Masaki suggested.   
  
“Cherries?” Jun asked. He wiped away some of his tears. “What's this?”   
  
Masaki laughed. He still had Jun's hand in his and intertwined their fingers. “I will show you, you need to taste them.” Jun's hand felt so warm, and when Masaki felt Jun squeezing his hand, he felt happy and the anger from before had been almost gone. 


	9. Chapter 9

Nino had a bad feeling when they stepped out of the carriage. He looked back at Jun, who sat there, afraid of what would come next. He had once told Nino about his past, but it was too much, even for Nino, who had a bad past on his own. He wanted to help Jun here, but there was no way he could get him out of this now.   
  
“Let's go inside,” Sho said with a smile.   
  
Nino nodded at him and followed him upstairs into the living room. He sat at the chair right next to the window and looked outside.   
  
“Nino?” He winced when he heard Sho calling his name. How long had he sat here staring into nothing?   
  
Sho sat opposite, handing him a glass of water. “Can I ask you something?”  
  
Nino nodded. “What happened to you?”  
  
Nino gulped. No one had ever asked about his past. No one was interested in what had happened to him during the last years. He looked at Sho, and even though he was still a complete stranger to him, he felt relaxed and just good. “I got bought, got sold again, was bought and got sold again.”  
  
Sho looked at him with curious eyes. Nino knew that the other wanted to know about the beginning of his life, about why his life had become the one of a slave. Nino sighed. “You want to know why I became a slave?”  
  
Sho nodded. “But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”  
  
Nino looked out of the window. It was a warm day and far away he could see the wind blowing up sand, turning it into a brown wall.  The last times he got bought he had always wished to disappear. He could remember that he often had closed his eyes, wishing that he would vanish or die. And now, when he closed his eyes he wished that this dream would never end and always stay like this. “I want, but I can't. I don't know you, Sho-san.” He smiled sadly, twisting the glass in his hands. “But if you want, I tell you, because you are my owner after all.” He shrugged.   
  
“Do you know cherries?” Sho asked. Nino blinked at him. What was this change of the topic?   
  
“I never heard that word.” Nino felt Sho's hand pushing him up.   
  
“Let's go to the garden, I show you.”  
  
They reached a big tree with small red and green fruits on it. They looked delicious, but Nino wouldn't dare to eat them, because they looked poisoned with their strong red colour. “And they are good?” He asked.   
  
Sho nodded. “It's an old fruit.”   
  
“Ancient times?” Nino asked with a smile.   
  
Sho laughed out. “Yes. You are one day here and you already understand how my brother ticks.”  
  
Nino looked at the tree. He stepped closer and twisted one of the cherries between his fingers. “May I?”  
  
Sho nodded. “But be careful, there is a pit in it.”   
  
Nino took a bite. It felt like a firework on his tongue. He had never eaten something fresh like this. “Wow, amazing.”   
  
“Right?” Sho said. “Masaki is a genius when it's about botanic.” Sho pulled Nino along to a bench right next to the tree.   
  
“How is he doing this? I mean the most fruits he planted are already forgotten?”  
  
Sho leaned back. “He found an old box on the attic. There were seeds of various plants in it, and he just tried it. And as you can see, he succeeded.”   
  
“Seeds? Where from?”   
  
  
“My grand-grand-grand-father,” Nino heard Masaki's voice from not far away. He turned to look at Masaki and Jun. He could clearly see that Jun had cried. After one year together he could sense every emotion Jun had. But he could also see that Masaki had his hand tightly around Jun's. Nino suppressed a smile. That was definitely a good sign, and once more he hoped that the dream wouldn't vanish when he opened his eyes.   
  
“Oh, Masaki, you are back. Can we talk for a moment?” Sho asked and stood up. “You give us a minute?”  
  
Nino nodded. He looked at Masaki and Sho disappearing from the bench. “Come on, Jun sit down.”  
  
Jun smiled at him and took place. “How was it at Kei-san's place?”   
  
Jun looked at the ground. “Horrible.”   
  
Nino stroked Jun's back. “He is gone from your life, Jun. And he'll never return.” Nino looked at their new owners. “I think this is a good place here.”   
  
Jun shook his head. “This isn't a good place, Nino.”   
  
He looked up. “It's paradise. It's the best place we could get to.”   
  
Nino nodded. “You like Masaki, right?”   
  
Jun blushed. Oh, Nino knew this face. This was Jun's 'I feel attracted to someone' face. “You are an open book, Jun.” He laughed.   
  
“I don't even know him,” Jun argued, but it sounded half-hearted.   
  
“But you like his outlook.” Nino pulled on eyebrow up. He knew he could be a pain in the ass, but he loved being pushy.   
  
Jun looked up at Masaki. “He has a good heart, and he looks good.”   
  
Nino laughed. “Yes.”   
  
Jun poked Nino's side. “Hey, but you like your owner too, right”   
  
Now it was Nino blushing, and Jun's laugh made him realize, that not only he could be a pain in the ass, but also Jun could be a little jerk.   
  
~~~  
  
“And you think that Kei-san knows about our real intention?” Sho asked.   
  
Masaki shrugged. In the end he didn't care about what this idiot thought about him or his life. “I don't care. I have his medicine, and I am the only one who can make it for him, so he better keeps quiet.”   
  
Sho nodded. “And we made a good performance in the shop.”  
  
“Hey, why did Jun cry?” Sho asked.   
  
Masaki's heart clenched. “He still thinks that he isn't good enough. And that he is already used and not worthy anymore.”  
  
Sho tilted his head. “I really hope you can fix his heart, Masaki, because in your eyes I can see that you like this guy, but you know that broken humans like him are difficult to get back to a normal life.”   
  
“Broken wings are hard to repair, I know. But remember the eagle's wings I cured? And the rabbit with the broken leg? And the racoon with his cut off tail?” Masaki asked.   
  
“Yes,” Sho said. “But a broken soul is harder to repair than body parts.”  
  
Masaki smiled at him. “I think you have similar problems, my dear big one.”   
  
Sho blushed and Masaki immediately knew that he got the point. “You like your slave, right?”   
  
Sho scratched his head. “I is with me for only one day now, I can't tell if I like him.”   
  
Masaki laughed. “But I can tell you, you like him.”   
  
~~~  
  
Weeks had past and slowly they got into a daily routine. Masaki and Sho had managed it to get the reputation of being hard and strict with their slaves, while they tried their best to make them feel free and save at home.   
  
Jun started acting normal towards Masaki, and he was even able to walk around his rooms without looking like a frightened cat.   
  
Masaki woke up early in the morning. The sun was about to rise and the first birds in his winter garden started singing. He turned in his bed to find Jun lying next to him. “Again?” He asked.   
  
Jun looked up at him with sleepy eyes. “I am sorry, Masaki. I had a bad dream, and I didn't want to be alone.”  
  
“What have you dreamed about?” Masaki wanted to know. He had asked every time since this had happened for the first time, but Jun had never given him an answer. So he didn't count with one today. He just asked because he wanted to show interest.   
  
Jun turned to the side, looking at Masaki. He could see the scars on Jun's shoulder when the shirt slipped down from there. “I am afraid that you don't want me in your rooms anymore when I tell you.”   
  
Oh god, now they were back to the beginning. “Jun, I already said it 500 times. You can't make me thinking bad of you.”  
  
“There was one night, back at Kei-san's manor. He had some friends there, and they drank a lot, and at one point they started touching me, and then...” Jun stopped. He couldn't talk any further.   
  
Masaki had never touched Jun, except from taking his hand from time to time. “Come here,” he now said.   
  
Jun looked at him, his chest rose up and down from the deep breathes he took. He robbed closer till Masaki could feel Jun's head against his chest. For one moment they stayed like this, till Masaki could feel Jun's hand roaming over his body. It would have been a lie to say that Masaki didn't want this, but it was not why he invited Jun to come closer. “Stop it.” He took Jun's hand from under the blanket and held it in his.   
  
“I am sorry, Masaki. I thought you needed me to release some ...” Jun started.   
  
Masaki jumped out of the bed. “No, sorry. I am not that kind of man. I don't want you to help me release my stress.”   
  
“But that's what I am made for,” Jun cried out. “I am a slave, Masaki. I am made for pleasuring others. I have always been like this. This is what I do since I am 13 years old.” He cried for real now. “Tell me, you think I am not good enough, right? You think I am ugly? Or is it because I am already used?”   
  
Masaki sighed. This was what Sho had meant with saying that a broken soul is hard to fix. “How many times did I tell you that you should stop talking about yourself in this way?” He really tried to keep his patience, but slowly it started pulling on his nerves. Jun was like a damaged jukebox, repeating the same words again and again.   
  
“Then why don't you sleep with me like normal owners do?” Jun yelled.   
  
“Because I am not a normal owner, Jun. I really like you and I don't want you to do something you just do because you learned it that way. I don't want to use you, I want you to stay with me, when you can think of returning the feeling of liking me, but not because it's your thought of how you need to work.” Masaki yelled back. He blushed when he heard his owns words escaping his mouth. Had he really confessed here? Jun stared at him with mouth wide open. So he really had confessed here? Masaki opened the door to the bathroom and locked himself. Damn, that was too much. He had lost control.   
  
Masaki leaned against the door. His whole body shivered. He could still feel Jun's hand on his body. Masaki's stomach clenched.   
  
“Masaki?” He heard a knock on the door. Jun's voice was thin and he sounded scared.   
  
He robbed away from the door and opened it. Jun stood there, his shoulders hanging down sadly. He knelt next to Masaki. “I am sorry.”   
  
Masaki smiled at him. “No need to apologize.” He brushed Jun's cheek. “I overreacted.”   
  
Jun shook his head. He robbed closer till he sat between Masaki's legs. He took Masaki's hands and wrapped it around his body. Masaki could feel the warm body pressed against his, and even though Jun had gained some weight during the last weeks, he still felt tiny.   
  
“That's how I feel when I am with you,” Jun said. He turned to face Masaki. “I was never allowed to show any feeling and emotion. I had to work like they wanted me to work.” He rested his head against Masaki.   
  
“Do you think you are able to like me?” Masaki asked. His heart started racing against his chest.   
  
“I already like you, Masaki. But I am still ...” Jun started.   
  
“Like an eagle with a broken wing,” Masaki ended the sentence.   
  
Jun nodded.   
  
“Okay, let's take slow steps.” Masaki pulled his hands closer around Jun and placed a kiss on his nose. “Real slow.”   
  
“Sounds good,” Jun chuckled while he cuddled closer to Masaki.   



	10. Chapter 10

Nino stretched his limbs. He had sat there for over two hours, preparing this new notebook with self-made drawings in it. He wasn't the most talented painter, but he was proud of his work.   
  
Nino had thought days over days if he should ask Masaki for an empty notebook. He had no money and no right to leave the house alone. Some weeks ago he had had a weak moment alone with Masaki and he had asked him about the book and some pens. Some hours later he had had the items in his hands.   
  
And now he was done. It was the perfect notebook for meetings and appointments, something Sho would love. Sho's birthday would be tomorrow, and he wanted to give him a present. He hid the book under his bed and walked back outside before Sho would be back at home.   
  
He had told him that he'd have kind of an important meeting somewhere outside together with Masaki.   
  
Nino took the walkphone and pressed the purple square. Jun picked up the call almost immediately. “Hey, what are you doing, Nino,” Jun asked. It was amazing how his voice had changed during the last weeks. He sounded stronger and livelier than ever before.   
  
“I prepared Sho's birthday present. And you?” Nino asked. He knew that there'd come a stupid comment from Jun, but he only said, “Oh, he'll love the notebook, Nino.”   
  
“Okay, who are you, and what have you done to Jun?” Nino grumbled.   
  
Nino could hear Jun breathing. He didn’t say something for some moments. “Jun?” Nino asked again. Slight panic rose in him. “What happened? Did Masaki do something to you?”  
  
“Yes,” he said. “But nothing bad,” he added immediately.   
  
“What?” Nino wanted to know.   
  
“I think he likes me, I mean really like.” Jun sounded happy.   
  
Nino smiled. He had never heard Jun’s voice sounding so chipper. “That’s great Jun. And you? Do you like him?”   
  
“Yes,” Jun said.   
  
“I am really happy for you Jun, really.” Nino said.   
  
“Maybe I can come upstairs to you? Then we can chat some more,” Jun suggested.   
  
Nino shook his head. “No, you know you aren’t allowed to go upstairs, Jun. You know what Sho and Masaki said, you should stay downstairs. When they are back at home, we can sit together and chat.”  
  
“But I miss to talk with you. I don’t bother them being around, but a talk just between the two of us would be nice,” Jun said.   
  
“Jun, you know that this is a bad idea. What if someone sees you? You know what they said about some of their father's partners. And I am pretty sure that Masaki will get angry if he sees you here,” Nino said.   
  
“Yeah, I know. But I think there is no one at home now.” Jun could be really stubborn when he wanted something and during the last weeks here he gained more confidence, which was high appreciated by Nino, but not when it was about doing something stupid.   
  
“Jun please.” Nino knew it was senseless to talk with Jun about it.   
  
“I come upstairs, Nino. Stay on the phone with me.” God, that was the worst idea Jun could have had.  
  
Nino walked to the door and peeked downstairs. First it was silent in the ground floor, but soon he could hear voices resounding. “Jun, stay downstairs,” he said into the phone, but all he could hear were the voices he heard without phone.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki stepped out of the car. They hardly drove with the car, because oil got expensive. Sometimes when they needed to hurry to get to an emergency case, they took the car. Or when it was about an exhausting research like they had today. Masaki stretched his arms.   
  
He smiled when the sun shone on his face. It was warm, like always, but there was a nice breeze coming down on them.   
  
“That was an interesting trip,” Sho said.   
  
Masaki nodded. He had the chance to test new herbs, and they worked out, so he had to update his notes today and take a look at his new plants he had planted in the garden.   
  
They walked up to the entrance where a scared and nervous maid came up to them. “Young masters, please, hurry.”   
  
Masaki and Sho looked at each other and ran up to the entrance. Masaki rushed into the room where five men stood in a circle laughing out loud. He could see one kicking out, and the others cheered him up to do it again.   
  
Masaki's heart pounded against his chest. He ran up there and pushed two men aside to get to the centre. In the middle sat Jun on the ground. He trembled and his cheek was already bruised. „How dare you,” Masaki said to the men.   
  
“No, he isn't allowed to enter this floor. It's his fault,” one said.   
  
Masaki's anger rose. He pushed Jun up and wanted to say something when his father came up. “All of you leave my house. You destroy my son's property, and that's wrong. You all know that this slave belongs to him, and you know what law says about destroying things from others.” Masaki felt relieved. His father had definitely more power to make them leave than he had.   
  
The men glanced at him before they made their way to the entrance. Masaki's father waited till they had closed the door and they were alone. He came closer and before Masaki could react, his father had placed a hard slap on Jun's face. “Never ever scare my son like this again!” He yelled. “These men are the worst you can imagine, but I need to deal with them, to keep things like they are now, and prevent them from getting worse.”   
  
“We'll go downstairs, I am sure Jun won't do it again,” Masaki said. He looked at Sho, who was standing at the way upstairs. He looked up nervously. Masaki nodded at him, signalizing that it was okay if Sho would go now. He thanked him silently and walked up.   
  
“I am sorry for the slap, but I am afraid that something worse could happen. And I know what you mean to my sons.” Masaki's father patted Jun's head. “Even though you are save here, you aren't free, Jun. It's sad, but that's how it is.”  
  
Masaki could see Jun nodding at his father. He pulled him downstairs and closed the door to his room. He was annoyed and angry, at Jun, at the men, and at everything he could think of. “Masaki,” Jun started, but Masaki immediately cut him off.   
  
“No. I have work to do and I am not in the mood to talk.” With that he disappeared outside in his winter garden. He took his notebook and started with writing down the results of his research. The voices of the men were still resounding in his mind, but he tried to push it away. He looked into his kitchen, but Jun wasn't there, probably he was already in his room. Masaki was afraid of talking with him, because he didn't like to scold someone. He always ran away when he had a talk like this. He was way too goodhearted and he hated it being mad at someone.   
  
Masaki sighed. There was no other chance then talking with Jun. He needed to clear this up now. But what should he say? Masaki shook his head. He stood up and looked up at the sky. It was already getting darker. He must have sat there for hours already.   
  
He walked into the bedroom and knocked on the door to Jun's room, but there was no response. He returned to the living room, the kitchen, but every room was empty. He felt his heart beat rising. Masaki opened the door and wanted to run upstairs, when he saw Jun coiled up in front of his door. “What are you doing here?”  
  
Jun looked at him. “You were so angry, I thought you don't want me in your rooms anymore.”   
  
Masaki sighed. “Come up.” He helped Jun to stand up and walked back to the kitchen. “What have you thought, Jun? I told you to stay here. That wasn't only a nice request, that was an order.”   
  
Jun nodded. “I am sorry.” He didn't look up. “I understand that you are mad with me.”   
  
Masaki's anger got smaller when he saw how miserable Jun looked like. “What did you want upstairs?”   
  
Jun rubbed his face, before he looked at Masaki. He looked horrible with his teary eyes and his bruised cheek. “I wanted to see Nino. I thought it would be nice to have some time with him alone. To chat a bit,” Jun said. “But he warned me, he wanted me to stay here.” Jun sobbed. “I am sorry. I await your punishment.”   
  
Punishment? The old Jun appeared again. Masaki sighed. He hated it when Jun slipped back into this old slave mode again. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Jun. He could feel Jun's head leaning against his chest and Jun's arms found their way around Masaki's waist, pulling him closer. “You have to prepare my dinner for the next week.” Masaki placed a kiss on Jun's forehead.   
  
~~~   
  
Sho ran up and down in front of Nino without saying something. That made Nino nervous. Sho's eyes were dark and filled with anger.   
  
He suddenly looked up. “What the hell did you think?”   
  
Nino bit his lips. “I am sorry. I warned him, but he didn't want to listen.”  
  
Sho shook his head. He stepped closer and raised his hand. Nino knew what that meant. He pressed his eyes together, awaiting the slap, but it didn't come. He could only feel Sho's hands on his cheeks. “I think you don't know how dangerous this place is, because you only know our rooms.”   
  
Nino opened his eyes and looked at Sho. He still looked angry, but his eyes got softer. “Listen, Nino, you must understand some things which are important in this house.”  
  
Nino nodded at him. He didn't dare to say something now. “My father is in a high position in politic. He is one of three men who try to prevent everything from getting worse for slaves, maids and servants. That means that he has to work with these men, there is no other way for him. He needs to cooperate. That's why they are often in this house, but my father could prevent them from sniffing around everywhere in the house. Our rooms are strictly forbidden to enter, and they keep their word and stay outside. But I don't want to imagine what they do when they find out more about you living here. You probably won't be safe here anymore when they find out that you have a normal life here without being treated like they want you to be treated.“   
  
Sho had his hands still on Nino's cheeks. “Do you understand this?”   
  
Nino nodded. “What will happen to us now?”  
  
Sho smiled at him softly. “What shall happen?” He brushed his fingers over Nino's cheek.   
  
“I don't know. There'll for sure be a punishment.” Nino was prepared. He had gotten enough punishments during the last years, he could bear with it. He just hoped that he wouldn't get sold again.   
  
“No. I don't think that you need to be punished. I just want you to understand the importance of this,” Sho explained.   
  
“I do.”   
  
“Good, I will go downstairs to talk with my father now, and you'll stay here, okay?” Sho said.   
  
Nino nodded. “Of course, I don't leave this place.”   
  
“Tomorrow we'll go on a short trip, Nino. I wanted to tell you today, but everything's a little mess now. But be prepared to stay away for two days.” Stay away? A trip? Nino felt a joyful feeling in him jumping up and down. He had never been on a trip before. His old masters had always left him at home.   
  
“I pack my things, and yours,” Nino said with a smile.   
  
Sho nodded at him and left the room. Nino breathed out deeply. He walked into his room and pulled out the self-made notebook. Tomorrow would be Sho's birthday, so maybe they'd go on a birthday trip together? His heart started beating faster. His cheeks started burning and it was like he could still feel Sho's hands on his cheeks. He shook his head. No, Sho was his owner, there was no right to feel something other for him.


	11. Chapter 11

Masaki lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling. It was already past midnight, but he couldn't find any rest. he looked at the closed door to Jun's room. After he had talked with him, Masaki had been with his father to talk about this happenening. He knew that Jun felt bad, but he needed to understand how dangerous it was here.   
  
Jun had looked so broken again, like on the day he had brought him here. Jun felt so bad about what had happened, and he didn't even dare to look into Masaki's eyes directly. Masaki sighed. His father had been very understanding, but he had made clear that such things shouldn't happen again, otherwise they needed to think of changing something. Masaki didn't want to think of being alone again in his rooms. He got used to the other around him.   
  
Masaki froze when he heard a yell from Jun's room. He jumped up and opened the door. Jun lay there, the blanket somewhere around his legs and he moved from left to right and back. He was obviously dreaming. Masaki stepped to the bed and touched Jun's shoulder. “Hey, wake up.”   
  
Jun moved again before he sat up and yelled out. He looked around irritated and his forehead was covered in sweat. “Jun?” Masaki asked.   
  
“No,” Jun whispered.   
  
“No?” Masaki sat at the border of the bed.   
  
Jun turned to him, staring at him with empty eyes. Was he still sleeping?   
  
“You need to search for my parents.” Jun stared at him. “They are somewhere out there.”   
  
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Jun,” Masaki said honestly.   
  
Jun nodded. “You are right, they died. They gave me away and died.” This situation was strange. Masaki touched Jun's forehead again. He hadn't fever.   
  
Suddenly Jun winced. “Masaki? What are you doing here?”   
  
Masaki blinked. So Jun had really been talking in his sleep. “You yelled out in your sleep. Did you have a bad dream?”  
  
Jun seemed to think what he should answer. After some seconds he nodded, without saying something.   
  
“Are you okay now?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
“Yes, thank you,” Jun said.   
  
Masaki stood up and walked back to his room. Right in the moment he had slipped back into his bed, he saw Jun standing at the doorframe. “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”   
  
Something in Masaki jumped up and down. “Sure,” he said and pulled the blanket aside to let Jun slip into his bed.   
  
Jun's breathe next to him was fast, but it got slower when he lay down and closed his eyes again. His tension seemed to fade from him. “I won't do something to anger you again, I promise,” he said with his eyes already half closed.   
  
“I was just afraid that something might happen to you, Jun. I won't forgive myself if someone does something bad to you.” Masaki placed his hands on Jun's hips and pulled him closer.   
  
~~~  
  
Masaki stepped out of the car. It was much colder in the mountains then it had been in town. It still had over 20 degree, but he already needed a long sleeved shirt. “This house belongs to you?” Jun stood next to him, looking at the cottage.  
  
“Yes, it's my mother's. So Sho and I spend most of our holidays here,” Masaki explained. “And we always celebrate his birthday here. But the last years it had only been the two of us and Satoshi together with Ryo.”  
  
“You don't have other friends?” Jun asked. “I am sorry, I didn't want to sound like you can't have friends, it's just that...”   
  
Masaki laughed. “No, it's a good question. Well, Sho and I are pretty special. Most of the guys in our age are ...” Masaki tilted his head. What are they? He didn't know how to tell it. “They have attitudes I really don't get and I don't want to act like I understand them. That's why Sho and I stayed alone most of the time.”   
  
“And Satoshi?” Jun wanted to know.   
  
“He went to school with Sho, and he had always been the only one who feels same like we do.” Masaki took the bags and carried them inside.   
  
Jun looked around. “This cottage is huge,” he stunned.   
  
Masaki chuckled. “Three bedrooms, two living rooms, three bathrooms and one big kitchen.”   
  
Jun stepped to a door of glass. “And the terrace is big.”   
  
“Yes, and I have some deer around here. They sometimes come here to get some food, even though they are actual wild living.” Masaki looked outside, but right now, there was no animal around. “Maybe we see them later on.”   
  
“Am I allowed to walk around freely here?” Jun asked.   
  
Masaki nodded slowly. “But please take Nino with you, you shouldn't go out alone. And if you do, please don't go too far away from the cottage. It's in the middle of nowhere, but who knows which people stroll around here.”   
  
Masaki could see a smile occurring on Jun's face. “What?” Masaki asked.   
  
“I am so happy that I can walk around wherever I want,” Jun replied. Something in Masaki clenched painfully. So Jun felt locked liked a bird in a cage. He wasn't feeling good with him? He wanted to be free, something Masaki could give him. Maybe he'd search for a different owner?   
  
“Hey, hey.” Masaki got pulled out of his thoughts. Satoshi stood at the entrance, smiling at them. Ryo walked a few steps behind him. Masaki wondered how Ryo felt with Satoshi? He knew that Ryo wasn't allowed to go out alone either, but did he care about it? Was he happy with his life at Satoshi's place?   
  
“Oh, Satoshi. You are already here.” Masaki tried to push his thoughts away and smiled at the other.   
  
“Yes, we said that we want to make a cake together, so I came earlier,” Satoshi explained.   
  
Masaki nodded. “That's great. I have some blueberries in the garden, and I made some chocolate last week. We can start immediately. Sho and Nino will be here in two hours. We should be done by then.”   
  
“Sounds good. Can we take the left bedroom again?” Satoshi wanted to know.   
  
“Sure, you know the way.” Satoshi nodded at him and took the bags to carry them to the room.   
  
Satoshi and Ryo smiled at them when they passed them to get into the room. Ryo really seemed to be happy at Satoshi’s side.   
  
“Masaki?” He turned to Jun.   
  
“Yes?”   
  
Jun looked at him with his big brown eyes. “Am I really allowed to taste chocolate? And this blueberry you are talking about is a fruit?”   
  
Jun had never tasted chocolate? Masaki sighed. Chocolate was one of the most expensive food in shops, and blueberries were so rare that they got hardly sold anymore. “Of course, do you want a piece now?”   
  
Jun nodded energetically. Masaki could see his eyes sparkle and his lips curled in an amazing smile. Masaki almost forgot about the painful feeling in his belly.   
  
“Come.” Masaki pulled Jun to his bag. He pulled out a box and opened it. The smell of cocoa and milk spread in Masaki's nose. He loved this smell. He broke a small piece from the bar and handed it to Jun. “It's dark chocolate, with much more chocolate than milk in it.”  
  
Jun took the piece and smelled at it. “That smells delicious.”   
  
“You have to taste it,” Masaki said.   
  
Jun placed the piece on his tongue and started chewing it. He looked at Masaki with his eyes wide open. “That's one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.”  
  
Masaki laughed. “It is really good. And now we'll make a big cake out of it. Sho-chan loves sweets, more than everything else.”  
  
“I remember last year,” Satoshi said when they came back to the room. “He ate half of the cake himself, and we had only one piece for us left.”   
  
Masaki chuckled. “Yes, that's true, but you'll get one piece, Jun, don't worry.”  
  
“You can have mine,” Ryo said with a smile.   
  
“You don't like chocolate?” Jun asked.   
  
Ryo shook his head. “It's too sweet and ... I don't know. It's not really tasty.” He stepped closer to Jun. „”Same goes for fish, that tastes so ... fishy,” he giggled. “But don't tell Satoshi that I said that, because he loves everything concerning fish.”   
  
Satoshi looked at them. “You know that I can hear you?”   
  
Ryo's grin got wider. “Yep. I am perfectly aware of that.”   
  
Satoshi tilted his head. „”You want me to get angry, right?”   
  
“Maybe,” Ryo shrugged.   
  
Masaki could see Jun staring at them. He seemed shocked about how they talked with each other. Yes, it was strange to listen to them at the beginning, but they really fit for each other. “They are always like that, don't think too much about it.” Masaki poked Jun's side, making him jump because of that. “Sorry,” Masaki said. His cheeks got slightly red.   
  
Jun shook his head. “It's okay,” he whispered.   
  
“So, let's make this cake.” Masaki loved Satoshi for his sharp senses when situations became awkward.   
  
“Yes.” Masaki pulled his sleeves up and started unpacking the ingredients.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino sat in the carriage, his bag on his lap. He could feel the notebook in the inside poking his belly. Nino got nervous when he thought about his present. He had no idea when he should hand it to Sho. When they'd be alone? When the others gave Sho their presents? And a small part in him thought about never giving him the notebook. Wasn't it stupid? It was a book he had made by himself and even though Sho loved books for making his timetable, Nino had the feeling that his notebook was childish.   
  
“We are here?” Nino felt a hand on his shoulder.   
  
“Oh, yes, sorry. I was a little bit absent-minded.” Nino stepped out, the bag still pressed against his chest.   
  
Nino looked at the cottage. Sho took their bag from the box at the backside of the carriage and stepped next to Nino. “That house is amazing.” Nino could see the small trees and bushes swinging with the wind. There was nothing but nature around this house. Farer away Nino could see the sand dunes falling down in waves. It was like a different country in between their country. Nino had never seen something like this before. He was used to winter and cold temperatures like they had in the north, but not the hot weather and the sand dunes around him. The Sakurai-manor was already amazing, but this here was something different. The whole mood around it was so calm and peaceful. Nino would love to live here.   
  
“I think we need to go inside,” Sho said when he came up to Nino. Nino shook his head and took Sho’s arm before he could walk to the entrance.   
  
“Wait a moment,” he said. “I need to call Jun if you are already allowed to come in.”   
  
Sho smiled at him. “They really planned something for my birthday?”   
  
Nino nibbled on his lower lip. Had he destroyed a surprise? “No,” Nino lied.   
  
“Ah, of course not,” Sho chuckled. “Call him, I’ll wait over there and get some strawberries for the dessert.”   
  
Nino nodded and pulled out his walkphone. He pressed the purple square and waited till Jun picked up the call. “Are you already here, Nino?”   
  
“Yes, can we come in?” Nino wanted to know.   
  
“We got ready five minutes ago, you can come in,” Jun said.   
  
“Okay, thank you. We come in now.” Nino hung up the call and looked at Sho, who knelt in the small garden and picked a fruit. Nino pulled on the book in his bag and wanted to pull it out, when he heard Satoshi’s voice at the door.   
  
“Hey, come in already, we have candles on the cake, and they don’t burn forever,” he said.   
  
Sho came up to Nino and guided him in the house. “You can place the bags in the right room, Nino. This is our room. We’ll be back in one minute,” Sho said to the others with a big smile.   
  
Nino looked at the others and greeted them before he walked to the room and placed his bag there. Nino could see some presents on the table and decided to take his along.   
  
He waited till Sho was already back in the dining room and took the book. He had wrapped it in a red fabric he had taken from the scarf he had once gotten. He wanted it to be a real present. He placed the red parcel on the table and stood beside Sho and the others. Sho hadn’t recognized that Nino had placed something on there, because he was still chatting with Satoshi.   
  
Sho clapped when he saw the big cake with the candles on it. He seemed like a small child in this moment. He blew out the candles and pressed his eyes together to make a wish, like Masaki had ordered him to do.   
  
“Oh, I have a present for you,” Masaki said after Sho had cut the cake into pieces. “Here.” He took a big box and handed it to Sho. Sho unpacked it and pulled out a clock.   
  
“Wow, that’s an amazing clock.” Sho turned it in his hands. “Where did you get this from?” Sho wanted to know. His eyes were sparkling and he was more than happy about this present. Nino could see in Sho’s smile that this clock was something he had wished for.   
  
“Thank you Masaki.” Sho hugged his brother. Nino hoped that he’d like his present, but suddenly he felt so stupid with it.   
  
“Here, that’s from us,” Satoshi said and gave him a smaller package.   
  
“Oh, chocolate and some bonbons, thank you, Satoshi.” Sho smiled at them. “And thank you Ryo.” Ryo bowed. “You know that I love sweets. I always love your presents, really.” He laughed.   
  
“So, let’s have dinner,” Sho said, but he stopped when he saw the small red present on the table. He took it and unpacked it. He looked at the book and finally at Nino. “Is it from you?”   
  
Nino nodded shyly. “Did you steal the book somewhere?” Nino froze. What did he ask? Was he really thinking that Nino would steal something? He didn’t even know what to say.   
  
“Sho,” Masaki said, but Sho stepped closer. “Where did you get this from?”   
  
Nino shook his head. Everything around him started spinning. He turned and hurried to the room, closing the door behind him. He breathed out deeply; some tears were running down his cheek. He was so embarrassed about his present, and he had thought about hundreds of possible answers from Sho, but this wasn’t one of the sentences he had thought of. 


	12. Chapter 12

“Are you nuts?” Masaki shouted at Sho. That couldn’t be. “How can you say something like this? Have you looked at the book? He had made it on his own. He made the drawings. He needed one month, and he was so chipper about it.”   
  
“And he was afraid that you won’t cherish it,” Jun said. Masaki turned to him. He wondered that Jun interfered into this talk. “Can I go to him?” He asked Masaki, who nodded at Jun.   
  
Jun walked to the door and knocked there, but there was no response. He looked back at Masaki and disappeared in Sho and Nino’s room.   
  
Sho leaned against the table. “Where did he get this from?”   
  
Masaki sighed. “I bought it for him. He asked me to help him.” He looked at his brother. He had never seen him like this before, and he knew that Sho didn’t react like that without a reason. “Gosh, Sho, what the hell happened?”   
  
Sho looked at the book. His fingers stroked over the cover. “Right after we got Jun and Nino I asked the shop owner about some more fact about Jun and Nino. I got to know that he was known for stealing things.”   
  
Masaki shook his head. Even though that had been like this, he was sure that the both of them left their past behind. “He is so proud of this present, and he feared so much that you won’t like it.” Masaki said. “And if someone asks you, it wasn’t me who told you this. I heard Jun and Nino talking with each other some time ago, and I am sure I shouldn’t know something about it.”   
  
“Maybe you should apologize,” Satoshi suggested. He smiled at Sho. “You are really an idiot sometimes.”   
  
Sho smiled a little. “His paintings are amazing. I didn’t know that he is talented. He drew the world how it looked like a few hundred years ago. He must have seen the pictures in the old books.”   
  
Masaki poked Sho’s side. “Come on, go to him. You really need to clear this now, you jerk.”   
  
Sho nodded at him and walked up to the door, knocking there.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino sat at the border of the bed, his face in his hands. Oh how stupid he had been. He could feel Jun’s hand on his back, trying to calm him down. “Why did I want to make a present for him?”   
  
Jun shook his head. “I don’t know.” He looked at Nino. “But I don’t think that he did this with a bad intention, Nino.”   
  
Nino looked up. His gaze was blurred because of some tears in his eyes. “I don’t know. That’s so embarrassing, Jun. I wanted to give him something special, and he kicked it with his feet.”   
  
Jun sighed. “I don’t know what to say, because yes, it’s stupid.”   
  
Nino heard voices outside and soon he heard a knock on the door. No, he didn’t want to talk with Sho right now.   
  
“I let him in, Nino. Talk with him.” Jun stood up to get to the door.   
  
“No, I don’t want to,” Nino said, but Jun had already slipped outside the room while Sho came in with the book in his hands.   
  
He came up to him and sat down. He still held the book in his hands, and his fingers stroked over the cover. “I am really sorry.” Sho’s voice was calm, and he sounded a little bit insecure, which was untypically him.   
  
Nino glanced at him. He felt anger in him rising. “Why do you think that I steal something? I never stole something from you at home.”   
  
Sho nodded. “I know, I am sorry. I read your file from the shop and there was written that you once stole a lot of things.”   
  
That was unbelievable. Yes, this was true, but Nino had never thought about stealing something from Sakurai-manor. He liked it there, and he liked Sho, there was no reason for him to do this. The times he had stolen things, were times where he hadn’t known how to survive. He had had nothing to eat and to drink, and hadn’t known where to sleep. He had done this because he had needed to, and not because he had fun doing it. “I never ever thought about something like that.”   
  
“I know. I just fear that you could do something stupid.” Sho sounded honest. Nino blinked. Why did Sho think like that? He had never given him the reason to think that Nino could do something stupid, or did he do something and he couldn’t remember about it?   
  
“What did I do that makes you thinking like this?” Nino wanted to know. He wanted to understand Sho’s reaction. Some months ago he would have talked back or worse, maybe he would have tried to run away, but Nino liked it here, and when he saw Sho’s eyes looking at him, he had this small butterflies hovering up and down in him. No – that was what he hated, but the feeling to have a save place was definitely worth to stay.   
  
Sho laughed out before he lay back on the bed. He had the book on his chest, his hands wrapped around it. “I fear that I could lose you when you do something stupid.”   
  
Nino froze. Was this a kind of confession? No, he was a slave, and no one would fall in love with a slave. Next to the fact that it was kind of forbidden to keep a relationship with a slave, it was something which didn’t happen. “No, no, I don’t want to leave your place. I really wouldn’t do something to give you the reason to throw me out.” Nino pulled on Sho’s arm.   
  
Sho sat up abruptly and brushed his hand over Nino’s cheek, which made Nino’s belly jump up and down almost painfully. “Thank you so much for this present, Nino. I really love it. You are really talented.”   
  
“I didn’t steal the book, I asked Masaki for help, and he bought it for me,” Nino stuttered.   
  
Sho smiled at him, his fingers were wandering over Nino’s face, brushing his cheeks, before he stroked Nino’s lips. “I know,” he said before he leaned forward to place a kiss on Nino’s lips. It was just a short touch, but Nino’s lips burnt afterwards. “Thank you,” Sho said again, before he pulled Nino up. “Come, let’s get back to the others.”   
  
Nino’s world started spinning. Sho kissed him? But he hardly touched his lips? What the hell was going on here? And now he should celebrate and think of something else than this situation? Now Nino got grumpy, but in the end he nodded and let himself being dragged back to the living room.   
  
The others sat at the table and there were already two pieces of cake for Sho and Nino placed there. “You have to try this,” Sho said. “Masaki and Satoshi make the best cake ever. It’s chocolate with blueberries and whipped cream,” he explained.   
  
Nino looked at Jun, who smiled and him and Nino gave him a short nod to tell him that everything was alright. Jun winked. It was their sign that Jun had understood Nino’s nod. It was weird between them, but they had managed to find a way to talk with each other without using words. Maybe it happened to be like that because they had to learn to communicate without talking back when they had been in the shop. They got punished when they talked without being asked, and sometimes they needed to know how the other felt.   
  
“Chocolate?” Nino asked curiously. “I only saw my owners eating it, but I was never allowed to taste it.”   
  
Nino sat down and took a spoonful. It tasted … strange. “I don’t know…” Nino said.   
  
Jun laughed out. “You don’t like it?” He raised his hands in Nino’s direction. “You can give it to me, I like it.”   
  
Nino pulled his hands around the plate. “No, no, that’s mine.”   
  
The others laughed about that, and Nino felt the tension in him fading. He looked at Sho, who smiled brightly. He seemed to enjoy his birthday, and Nino’s heart made a jump when he thought about Sho’s words. He really liked his present. Nino was proud of himself, because he put so much effort in this book, and he really wanted it to be perfect. And a part in him thought that he really had made it special.   
  
They sat together for hours, chatting about various things.   
  
“I think I’ll go to bed soon.” Masaki stretched his limps.   
  
Jun next to him nodded. “Yes, it was a long day.” Nino tried to hide his smile. He wondered when Masaki would be able to break down Jun’s walls, or when he’d be able to overcome his own walls. Nino didn’t want to think about Jun’s past, but he was sure that someone like Masaki could make him feel good again.   
  
“What’s our plan tomorrow?” Satoshi wanted to know.   
  
“Can I go to the waterfall?” Ryo asked. “I was there last time, and I found beautiful stones and some flowers.” He looked at Nino and then at Jun. “You can come along, if you want?”   
  
Jun nodded at him. “I’ve never seen a waterfall. I would love to go there.”   
  
Nino felt like throwing up. He hated water, but he didn’t want to show that. He nodded at them and agreed to come along. “Is it a big waterfall or just a small one?” Okay, that was a stupid question, but it was essential for Nino. The bigger the waterfall, lake or river, the bigger had his fear about it been.   
  
“It’s not that huge. You can walk through it easily, there are just a few places where you need to swim, but the water is pretty cold. It comes from the top of the mountains, right, Masaki-san?”   
  
Masaki nodded. “Yes, it’s pure water. It doesn’t appear that often anymore. We have the water manufacturing companies, but it doesn’t taste like real fresh water.”   
  
“Oh, you are able to drink this water?” Jun asked.   
  
“Yes, it’s probably one of the last natural waterfalls which has clean water,” Masaki explained. “It’s really sad, but I didn’t find a way to change this by now.”   
  
“Oh, I wanted to ask the both of you something,” Satoshi said. “I need to go to a trip in the north, and I want you to come along. It’s a medical problem we have there. It’s kind of an illness, and I am helpless. I think the reason for this epidemic illness is in their food or water, but I am not sure about it.”   
  
“I will come with you, maybe next week?” Masaki asked.   
  
“Me too, count me in,” Sho said.   
  
“Thank you, next week sounds good.” Satoshi bowed.   
  
Nino wasn’t happy about Sho driving to the north. He had lived there, and it was a bad area. Nino could see that Jun thought same. They exchanged a worried look. It’s like entering war. There were gangs fighting each other, and big landscapes which were populated with thieves, robbers and murders.   
  
“But for now, let’s enjoy two days here,” Ryo said. “And tomorrow we’ll go to the waterfall and afterwards we can make some fish, maybe?” He looked at Satoshi.   
  
“I brought along a nice big fish for us.” Satoshi laughed.   
  
“That sounds good,” Nino said. “I love fish.” He really did, but he hardly ate it.   
  
“Good, it’s settled then, while you are taking a bath, we will cook fish for lunch.” Satoshi looked from one to the other and earned only nods.   
  
“But for now, I need to go to bed.” Masaki yawned.   
  
Nino felt the tiredness running through his body. Now he felt that he had also been really tired already. “Yes, bed sounds good,” he finally said.


	13. Chapter 13

Masaki closed the door behind him. Jun was already there, and he seemed to be nervous about being with Aiba in one room. It made Masaki smile, because at home they had their rooms next to each other, which didn’t prepared them more private space.   
  
“Do you want to shower first?” Jun asked a little nervous. “Or shall I go?”   
  
Masaki stepped to the bed and opened his bag. “You can go first, I need to get my things together first.”   
  
Jun nodded at him. He took all his clothes and walked to the bathroom. Masaki looked at the half open bag Jun had left on his side of the bed. He could see a small necklace in there with an angel like charm on it. Again Masaki had to think about Jun’s words from earlier. Did he really have a prisoner with Jun? Was it cruel to keep Jun?   
  
“Masaki?”   
  
He turned. “Hm?”   
  
Jun chuckled. “I already called your name twice. I am done, you can go.”   
  
“Do you feel imprisoned, Jun?” Masaki asked out of the blue.   
  
“What do you mean?” Jun came closer and sat on the bed. He looked up at Masaki.   
  
He sighed. “You asked me today if you are allowed to go out on your own, and I thought that you might feel like a prisoner.”   
  
Jun came closer and sat at the border of the bed. “Masaki, I live to be a prisoner.”   
  
Masaki shook his head. That was so wrong, and the saddest thing was that he wasn’t able to change something about it. It made him angry when Jun said something like this, because he felt helpless and sad about it. Masaki knelt in front of Jun. “I want you to feel good, Jun. I don’t want you to feel like you aren’t allowed to enjoy your life.” He placed his hand on Jun’s knee.   
  
Jun looked down at him, a smile curling around his lips. “I have never felt that good before, Masaki. It’s like I got a second life, and I know that it’s not your fault that things are like they are.” He took a break. “I am sorry when I made you think that I feel bad with you, because that’s not true.”   
  
Masaki’s heart made some jumps. “I am glad to hear that.” He placed his hand on Jun’s cheek.   
  
“I think Nino and I have the best life a slave can have,” Jun said honestly. The sparkle in Jun’s eyes was lively and happy, even though there was still some pain in it, and Masaki didn’t know how to make this pain and sadness disappear in Jun’s eyes, but Masaki would try everything to make Jun feel as good as possible. Masaki’s belly jumped. Okay, he was definitely feeling more than he’d admit for Jun.   
  
“Thank you, Jun.” Masaki smiled. He could see Jun blinking at him.   
  
“What for?” He asked.   
  
“You may not know it, but the two of you made our life special again.” Masaki stood up. Sho and Masaki had always had a protected life. They had had what they wanted and they had gotten everything they wanted, but compared to other rich children around them, they had never wanted a life like they had had. Masaki could remember the time on university where others already had had their own slaves for working for them, carrying their bags around and probably also for other things. Sho and Masaki had always thought different. They had never wanted to be like this. But nevertheless their life had been stuck in having everything and doing what they had wanted to do. When Satoshi had introduced Ryo to them, Masaki had known what he wanted to do. That’s when he had made the plan to get a slave. And Nino and Jun had changed their life. They had learned to cherish things more, and Masaki was sure that he experienced something like deep feelings for someone for the first time in his life.   
  
“Special?” Jun asked. “How are we able to make your life special?”   
  
Masaki took the clothes from his bag. “I don’t dare to say it out loud, because I don’t want you to think of me as arrogant or showy, but Sho and I had always a perfect life. We got everything we wanted, and we were always safe and maybe overprotected. But we weren’t all over happy about it. We always hated the circumstances in the world, and we wanted to change something about it. We knew we can’t change the world, but we knew we could change our life. And you really changed our life.”   
  
“Thank you.” Jun just said with a smile.   
  
Masaki returned it and walked up to the bathroom. He could feel the stinging pain in his belly vanish. At least Jun wasn’t unhappy at his place. That was the most important thing for Masaki. He stepped under the shower and let the warm water running down his body. He looked at the wall absent-minded while he got covered in hot water. Already weeks ago he wanted to ask Jun about his past, but he didn’t dare to. He didn’t want to push Jun, because Masaki knew how hard it was for Jun to accept that he wasn’t a slave anymore, and he knew that Jun would tell him about his past when Masaki would ask about it. But not because he wanted to speak about, but because Jun still felt like he had to talk about everything his master asked about.   
  
Masaki walked back to the bedroom, and looked at the small couch on the other side of the bed. “What are you doing?” He asked when he saw Jun placing a sheet on there.   
  
Jun turned to Masaki while he placed the blanket on there. “I prepare my bed.”   
  
Masaki had to laugh about that. That was already really absurd. He had slept with Jun in one bed for more than one time already, but Jun didn’t seem to see that Masaki didn’t want him to sleep in an extra bed, especially not on a couch like that. “Don’t be stupid, Jun. Bring the blanket back to the bed. We already shared one bed, so why do you think you need to sleep on the couch?”   
  
Masaki could see Jun’s cheeks blushing. “I don’t know…I just thought that … no,” Jun stuttered. “I don’t know what I’ve thought.” He sighed.   
  
Masaki smiled at the other. It was cute to see Jun like this. He was still thinking like a slave, but his eyes were already getting stronger and the body language got more confident. He reminded Masaki of the flowers in his garden, which started bloom when they got enough light and water.   
  
Jun came closer and slipped under the blanket next to Masaki. He rolled to the side and slipped his hands under his head, a small smile curling around his lips. Jun seemed to feel good and content, and that was everything Masaki wished for.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino sat at the edge of the bed. His heart was pounding against his chest when Sho stepped closer to the bed. He knelt in front of Nino, looking up at him. “Is everything alright?”   
  
“Yes,” Nino said half-heartedly. “I just thought about the walk to the waterfall tomorrow, and I … I don’t know. I feel a little sick because of it.”   
  
Sho stroked Nino’ leg, which let goose bumps appear on his skin. “You don’t need to go with them if you don’t want to. You can stay with me, Masaki and Satoshi.”   
  
Nino tilted his head. “Oh, you are for sure talking about medicine and herbs and such stuff, right?”   
  
Sho laughed out loud. “Yes, something like this.”   
  
“No, I think I will accompany the others in this case,” Nino answered. He froze for one moment. Was he allowed to say something like this? During the last weeks he got used to be handled good, and he got more confident with his words and actions, but sometimes he wondered if he started being too bratty at all. But Sho just smiled at him, he didn’t seem to care about Nino’s words.   
  
“Good, do that.” Sho patted Nino’s knee before he stood up to change for the night. Nino was a little bit astonished that Sho didn’t want to know why he was afraid of the waterfall, but in the end he was glad that he didn’t have to talk about it.   
  
Nino stood up to leave the room. He had taken his shower and he was already in his pyjamas. There was a nice place in the living room he’d sleep at. He just hoped Jun hadn’t already occupied it.   
  
“Where do you want to go?” Sho asked when he came back into the room. Nino was already at the door and about to leave. He turned to his owner.   
  
“I wanted to occupy the couch in the living room,” Nino said. Sho’s look was between confused and amused.   
  
“Nino, you can sleep here. The bed is big enough. You don’t need to sleep somewhere else.” Sho was smiling. Nino’s heart beat rose. He didn’t know why, but Nino started panicking a bit. Would Sho try to get closer to him? Would he want to sleep with him? Or would nothing happen? Nino wasn’t shy at all, but he had never been a slave which got used for sex. He breathed in deeply before he stepped back to the bed. He tried to smile.   
  
Nino lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t dare to look at Sho next to him. It felt surreal. He had had a bed for some weeks now, but it was the first time he shared a bed with Sho. Damn, why did he get so nervous about it? There was no reason to react like this.   
  
“Nino?” He winced when he heard Sho’s voice.   
  
“Yes?” Nino turned to the side.   
  
“I just wanted to thank you again for your present.” Sho said. His smile went directly to Nino’s heart. He could feel his heart bumping against his chest. Nino could feel his cheeks burning. Nino could see Sho coming closer and before he could do something, he felt Sho’s lips on his cheek, leaving a kiss there.   
  
Nino had never been an overall cheesy person, but this moment overwhelmed him. He didn’t even know what to say. “No problem.” Nino wanted to run away. No problem? What kind of answer was that? Nino wanted to scold himself for being so clumsy in this moment.   
  
Nino’s stomach twitched. Was kind of feeling was that? Nino felt like he got sick, but he didn’t have a headache nor did he feel sweaty or weak. It was just his stomach and his heart beat. Oh my god, Nino froze. Was this the feeling the humans called love? Nino had felt attracted to someone in past, but he had never fell in love for real.   
  
Damn, now Nino would need Jun to talk about that, but he couldn’t walk out of the room now. Sho would think that he was going insane. He needed to survive this situation on his own.   
  
“I am really grateful about your kindness. You gave me and Jun a place where we are able to relax. It’s the first time in my life that I feel like a human.” Nino decided to be honest. He had really been grateful for this chance they had gotten.   
  
“Nino, you are a human,” Sho said with a sigh. His eyes rested on Nino, and Nino could feel Sho’s hand taking his under the blanket. Nino let him, and it felt like electric shocks crossed his body when their finger intertwined.   
  
Nino smiled. “It’s really the biggest luck that Masaki-san had chosen us to live with you. Now I have something I call life.”   
  
Nino could feel Sho’s thumb brushing his hand. “It’s really sad sometimes to hear you talking.” Sho looked at him intensely. “I know I have never asked, because I think I don’t really want to know, but what happened to you before you came to us? What kind of life did you have?”   
  
Nino sighed. He had hardly ever spoken about his past, and he didn’t know if he was able to tell someone about it.   
  
“Oh, I am sorry if I said something wrong, I don’t want to push you,” Sho immediately said when Nino didn’t give him an answer.   
  
Nino smiled at him. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you. It’s just … I don’t know if I am able to tell you.”   
  
“I understand that, don’t worry,” Sho said. It was probably the sentence Nino needed to hear to make his walls breaking down. And then he started talking about his life.


	14. Chapter 14

Masaki woke up in the middle of the night, when he felt a hand pressing against his back. He slowly turned to look at Jun, who moved restless in his sleep. There were small moans and tiny cries escaping his lips.   
  
Masaki touched Jun’s shoulder and started shaking him slowly. “Jun, wake up,” Masaki said. “Jun,” he said again.   
  
"Jun?" The other snapped his eyes open and let out a single yell. His breath was fast and he seemed to be irritated where he was.   
  
"Hey." Masaki touched Jun's shoulder which made him almost jump.   
  
"Please not again," Jun begged.   
  
"Jun, wake up, you are with me, Masaki." He pointed at himself. "Do you remember? The one with the big dog and the hundred other animals in his house. The one with the brother, who takes care of Nino."   
  
"Cucumber," Jun murmured.   
  
Masaki laughed. "Yes, cucumber, my precious a little too fat cat."   
  
Jun turned to him. "Please don't give me away anymore."   
  
Masaki blinked. He had hopefully never said anything which could be interpreted that he wanted to give Jun away. "Jun, you are with me since three months already. I won't give you anywhere. You," Masaki sighed. God, was he going to be cheesy here? He had never confessed to someone, except the one night he locked himself in the bathroom after he had half confessed to Jun. And the few times in kindergarten he had confessed to others would hardly count. "I really..." No, that wasn't how he wanted to say it. He was for sure crimson red now, and Jun's light brown eyes and his hand in Masaki's didn't make it any easier. "I really think I love you." Masaki blurred out. He bit his lips when he realized that he had maybe been a little too loud. He just hoped the others hadn't heard him.   
  
~~~  
  
"I got sold when I was three years old," Nino explained. He could feel Sho's hand around his', brushing it with his thumb.   
  
He had hardly ever talked about his life. Not even Jun knew everything about his past. “  
  
  
~~~  
  
Jun looked at Masaki with his eyes wide open. “Love?” Jun asked. Masaki could see him getting nervous. He didn’t want to make Jun run away from him, just because he got afraid of what Masaki had said.   
  
“Don’t worry, Jun, I won’t get closer to you if you don’t want to,” Masaki said. He looked at Jun, who had fear in his eyes.   
  
“I am used, Masaki, and I don’t know if you really want,” Jun started, but Masaki immediately stopped him.   
  
“You are not used, Jun, you are a wonderful person, and I won’t force you into something.” Masaki could feel his heart beat increasing. “What happened to you?” He asked Jun. He brushed the other’s face and smiled at him.   
  
Jun tensed, Masaki could see it in his body language. “I …,” he sighed.   
  
“You don’t need to talk about it, if you don’t want to,” Masaki added to his question.   
  
Jun closed his eyes, but opened it again. “I was born in the south of Japan,” he started. Jun’s voice was trembling, and Masaki placed his hand on Jun’s to make him feel calmer. “My family wasn’t poor at all. I had a good life till I became six years old. My father had a company, but at one time he started gambling and he lost a lot of money.”   
  
Jun breathed in deeply, his cheeks started reddening. Masaki wasn’t sure if Jun became angry or embarrassed, maybe it was a mixture between both feelings. “My mother wasn’t able to bear with my father’s actions and at one point she started drinking. Soon we ran out of money, and my parents need to sell almost everything – including me.”   
  
Tears dropped down Jun’s cheek and Masaki felt his heart clenching. He robbed closer and placed his hand around Jun’s waist to pull him closer. He guessed that Jun would stop talking here, but he continued while he stared at the ceiling. “I got to a place near Hiroshima where I had to work in a sex club. I was too young to do the actual job there, but I need to clean the rooms, prepare everything for the guests and do the household. When I became thirteen they used me as regular worker.”   
  
Masaki had already guessed something like this, but he had never dared to ask. The shop owner had told him that Jun was a special slave, and everyone knew what that meant.   
  
“I worked there for almost two years till they decided to sell me to a Shiwamoto-san’s house. He first appeared really caring, and I thought that this place would be nice, but I was wrong.” Jun snorted. “He used me like I got used in the club, but it was probably worse.” Jun made a stop. He hiccupped and brushed his hands over his cheeks. Masaki didn’t want to force him to talk about it, and in the end he already knew what Jun meant with it. “I told you about the one time he and his friends…,” Jun said, but he didn’t finish the sentence.   
  
“He used you, even though you didn’t want to?” Masaki said slowly, and Jun just nodded at him.   
  
“When I was too weak to fulfil all his needs he sold me to the shop,” Jun said. Now he looked at Masaki again. “And then you came.”   
  
Jun smiled while the tears where still running down his cheeks. Even though he was crying, he looked relieved. “And you parents? What happened to them?”   
  
Jun shrugged. “I don’t know.”   
  
Masaki brushed Jun’s cheek. “You said they died?”   
  
“Did I?” Jun asked astonished.   
  
“In your dreams you talked about searching your parents and then you said they died,” Masaki explained.   
  
“I think I wish that they are dead,” Jun said. “I sound cruel, right?”   
  
Masaki shook his head. No, he understood Jun’s thoughts. “I think I would react same when I’d have your past.”   
  
Jun brushed over Masaki’s arm, which was wrapped around Jun’s waist. “Masaki, if you want me, you can have me.”   
  
Masaki blinked. No, he didn’t want to sleep with the other just because he wanted to be with Jun. If Jun would feel same, he’d do it, but not in any other case. “Jun, what do you want?”   
  
Jun blinked. “Me?”   
  
“Yes, I want to know your feelings, depending on this I will decide how to act towards you, but I want you to know, that no matter what you say now, I won’t give you away, okay?” Masaki said. Since Masaki was sure about his feelings, he knew that it didn’t matter how Jun decided, Masaki wouldn’t give him away or destroy their friendship they already shared. Masaki was happy to have the other around him, and it didn’t matter if it would become love or not.   
  
“I think,” Jun said. “God, no one had ever asked me about my thoughts,” Jun said. “I already fell for you in the first night,” Jun said.   
  
Something in Masaki jumped up and down and his feelings overwhelmed him. He was sure that his cheeks were as red as Jun’s had been, and he was sure that Sho would laugh his ass off when he’d see them right now, but Masaki didn’t care about it. “But?” Masaki asked. He could see that there was something burden Jun.   
  
“I am afraid,” Jun said honestly.   
  
“About what?” Masaki’s belly clenched.   
  
“I fear that you think that I am only trying to get closer to you because I want to do what you say. And I fear that you think I only sleep with you because I am afraid that you’ll give me away.” Jun had his eyes closed when he said this out loud.   
  
Masaki didn't know what to say. It would have been a lie to say that Jun's words had never been what Masaki had thought about, but during the last weeks he had realized that there was this special sparkle in the other's eyes, and Masaki trusted Jun. Maybe it was blunt and stupid, but his heart had decided to do so. "I don't think you'll do that." Masaki smiled. "Can you remember the day in my bathroom where I told you to make slow steps, inch by inch?"   
  
Jun nodded. "Already there I had decided to trust you." Masaki pulled on Jun's waist till there was no space between them.   
  
He could feel Jun's slow breath against his body and Jun's hand searched for Masaki's to intertwine their fingers. When Jun turned his head to look at Masaki, he bent down and captured Jun's lips with his.   
  
~~~   
  
"You got sold at the age of three?“ Sho had his eyes wide open when he looked at Nino.   
  
"Yes, I was three," Nino explained. "My family was poor, and they already had five children, so they needed the money." He felt a knot in him twitching painfully. He hated talking about his life, because in the end he never had something he called living. He only had one single memory about his family, but every time it came up in him, he pushed the thought away. It hurt him too much.   
  
"And your siblings?" Sho asked.   
  
Nino shrugged. He had never searched for them. Maybe he had been too afraid about what he'd find out, and it hurt him that he had been given away, while his siblings were allowed to stay with the family. Nino winced when he felt the other's thumb brushing his cheek. He hadn't even realized that he had started crying. “I had never seen anyone from my family again.” Nino blinked to make the tears dropping down his cheeks. “To be honest, I don’t even remember about my family.”   
  
"You can't even remember about them?" Sho asked. "But you are sure that you have siblings?"   
  
Nino nodded. "I once got the chance to look into my file, which was in the shop's office. And I was able to read in there."   
  
"When did you do this?"   
  
Nino sighed. "When I had been a teenager. I got back to this shop quite often, because I am a rather rebellious slave." Now Nino had a small smile curling around his lips. He had always been stubborn, and this had maybe been the reason why he had survived till now.   
  
“Have you ever thought of searching for your family?” Sho wanted to know. Yes, he had thought a lot about it, but he had never the courage to do so. He didn’t want to know what had happened to them, and he didn’t want to know why it had been him leaving the family. Nino didn’t want to end up more broken than he had already been. In the end nothing would change for him.   
  
“No, I don’t want to see them,” he said honestly.   
  
Sho nodded at him. “I understand.” Nino was glad that the other didn’t ask any further. He looked at Nino intensely. It made Nino feel uncomfortable. He had never liked to be stared at, but he blinked when he saw Sho’s eyes resting on him. His cheeks were slightly flushed and he fought with saying something, but in the end he started talking. “Can I ask you one question?”   
  
Nino’s heart started beating faster. He had hardly ever experienced that he got asked about his own feelings. Slowly Nino nodded at Sho, even though he didn’t know if he would be able to answer Sho’s question.   
  
“Jun had been a sex slave, right?” Sho asked.   
  
Nino gulped. “I don’t know any details, but yes.”   
  
“And you?” Nino closed his eyes when he heard Sho’s voice.   
  
“No.” Nino turned to Sho. He blinked. “I once had a kind of relationship with a maid. It was strictly forbidden, and when they found out about it, they threw me out immediately, but I was never a sex slave, nor did I ever had sex with a man, if you want to know this.” Now Nino blushed. He felt embarrassed about these words. “Is this important for you?” Nino wanted to know.   
  
Sho shook his head. He brushed Nino’s cheek, a smile circling around his lips. “It doesn’t matter. I just don’t want to hurt you.”


	15. Chapter 15

Masaki walked through the garden and collected some of the berries around there. He wanted to make a cake for the afternoon coffee. He felt good, and for the first time he felt something like butterflies hovering in his belly. He loved that feeling, even though it was a little bit like throwing up.   
  
“Hey, brother, here you have a glass of orange juice.” Masaki turned to look at Sho, who held two big glasses with the liquid up.  
  
Masaki smiled at him. “Thank you.” They walked up to the bench under the big red maple. Masaki loved that place. It was calm here, and it was always a little bit windy, so he never felt the heat like in their other manor.   
  
“I hope they have fun at the waterfall,” Sho said. Masaki could hear the worried undertone in Sho’s voice. He knew his brother too well and he recognized each and every difference in Sho’s behaviour.   
  
“I am sure about it. Why are you worried?” Masaki wanted to know.   
  
Sho sighed. He leaned back against the backrest. “Nino-kun seemed to be afraid about the water, and I just hope that everything will be alright.”   
  
“I am sure they’ll have a lot of fun there. He isn’t alone after all. Ryo and Jun will take care of him,” Masaki said. “What happened to him?”   
  
Sho shrugged. “I have no idea, he just mentioned that he is afraid of water.” Sho looked at Masaki. “Say, what’s between you and Jun? Are you…” Sho stopped.   
  
Masaki grinned. He knew how prude his brother could be, even though they were already adults. “You want to know if we sleep with each other?”   
  
Masaki could see Sho’s cheeks turning into crimson red. It was really funny to see him like this. “Who sleeps with whom?” It was Ohno stepping closer to the brothers, three glasses of wine on a big plate.   
  
“No one with no one,” Sho said, embarrassed.   
  
Masaki chuckled. “Sho asked me about Jun and I can just say that we …” Masaki stopped for a moment. “That we are something like together.”   
  
Masaki blushed when he saw Ohno and Sho smiling at him. “Well.” Masaki scratched his head. “Yes…” He sounded so stupid, he knew that.   
  
"I thought that you are together for weeks already," Sho asked.   
  
Masaki could feel his cheeks burning. "Actually...I don't know. We didn't do anything till now which could make you guess that we are a couple."   
  
"You mean you didn't sleep with him till now?" Satoshi grinned at him.   
  
"Ah, yes, ..." Masaki stuttered. He threw a dark glance at his brother, who laughed full-heartedly. "You don't need to laugh, I bet you didn't get any further with Nino." Masaki pointed at him. He could see Sho's smile fading.   
  
“Nino is really broken, I am afraid of hurting him. I don’t know how it’ll go on,” Sho explained. His eyes were sparkling and Masaki knew this smile around Sho’s lips. He was in love. Masaki had seen his brother only one time like this, but it had been years ago. "Tell us, Satoshi, how was your way with Ryo? He had been so broken and sad back when you bought him, and now he's happy and he trusts you and there is so much feeling between the both of you," Sho asked.   
  
Satoshi sat next to them. Around his lips curled a small smile. "It was a hard way to get there," he said. Masaki scanned Satoshi's face properly. He looked tired, but his eyes sparkled happily.   
  
"But Ryo trusts you now." Masaki patted the other's shoulder. He hoped that his path would be the same.   
  
"You never told us how you got to him," Sho wondered.   
  
"Really?" Satoshi said half-heartedly and Masaki was sure that he never told them on purpose till now. Satoshi sighed. "It was a horrible time, not only for Ryo," he started.   
  
Satoshi took a sip of his beer and looked around like he wanted to make sure that the slaves weren't around. "You remember that I searched for a new apartment after I had bought Ryo?"   
  
Masaki and Sho nodded at the same time. "I had to move out from home, because my parents didn't like my way of thinking. My father wanted to use Ryo like society sees them, and even my mother was on his side." Satoshi looked down. "After they raised their hands against me, I decided that it's enough. I packed my things and left together with Ryo. It was a risk, because he was so insecure, shy and broken back then. He didn't even talk with me properly, nor did he look into my eyes directly."   
  
Satoshi smiled at the brothers. "I think it was worse than Jun and Nino together. After half of a year Ryo finally opened up and slowly there grew something like trust."   
  
"I never dared to ask, but are you together? You look so close, but I was afraid of asking," Masaki said.   
  
Satoshi nodded but shook his head after some seconds. "I guess yes, but we never openly said that we are dating or something like this." He sighed. "We sleep in one room, we kiss and we cuddle, but I never had the courage to go any further, because I am afraid to hurt him."   
  
Sho nodded slowly. "Me too."   
  
"I am afraid that Jun thinks that he has to do it," Masaki said honestly. "And I fear that he tells me what I want to hear, even though his eyes tell me that he's honest."   
  
"I think that Nino and Jun are both honest, and you should maybe talk about it openly?" Satoshi suggested.   
  
"Nino told me that he had never slept with someone before, at least not men. What shall I do if he doesn't like it, or me?" Sho stared at the cherry tree. Some birds jumped up and down there and the trees shadow moved together with the tree which got brushed by the wind. For one moment they kept quiet.   
  
"Face this, tell him," Satoshi said again. "I maybe waited too long. When I asked Ryo, he felt offended and asked me why I never said something and come up with such a topic after two years of staying together and he was hurt because he thought that I doubt his feelings."   
  
“Was Ryo in the shop before you got him?” Masaki wanted to know. Now he realized that he had never asked Satoshi about it before. He had introduced Ryo as his slave two years ago, but they never spoke about Ryo’s past, and sometimes Masaki had the feeling that Satoshi wanted to protect Ryo with keeping his past as a secret.   
  
“No, he was with a rich man in the north,” Satoshi took a so of his wine and looked up to the sky. It was typically Satoshi. He easily got lost in his thoughts and just stared into nothing. They already knew him and his attitude to know that he’d continue talking after a while of thinking for the right words. And in the end Satoshi continued. “He got abused. I don’t know any details though, because I never wanted to hear them. Ryo isn’t the most open person and I wait patiently till he tells me about it, but to be honest, I don’t know if I want to know everything from his past.” Satoshi smiled sadly. “I guess that I’d maybe drive there to kill this guy.”   
  
Masaki nodded. Oh, he knew that feeling. He had the wish to kill each and every person abusing Jun in his past, and he didn’t even know the story behind his scars.   
  
“Isn’t this society meant to die one day?” Sho said. “I mean, we had four world wars already, what will happen next?”   
  
Masaki felt sad. His brother was right. This whole world was going into a dark future. “I just hope that I can do everything to make my world around me as good as possible,” Masaki said. He had stopped to think about the whole world around him, because he wasn’t able to change anything.   
  
“You know, I think that Ryo, Nino and Jun are the best what could have happened to us.” Satoshi leaned back and closed his eyes when the sun shone into his face. “And I think we should enjoy this time we have, because who knows what will come next.”   
  
“You are right, Satoshi,” Sho agreed. “And you know, we should make clear what they mean to us. No matter what will happen next.”   
  
Masaki breathed out deeply. Right in the moment he wanted to say something, they heard a terrible scream not far away. They looked at each other and jumped up immediately.


	16. Chapter 16

Nino looked up at the small hill where water splashed down between two big rocks. There was a small lake around the waterfall, but it was probably deep enough to swim in there. Nino froze. He hated lakes, sea, and everything concerning water.   
  
“Wow, that's amazing,” Jun stunned. He placed his towel on the ground and sat down. “Come, Nino, let's enjoy the sun.” He smiled.   
  
Jun had become totally different during the last weeks. His smile grew bigger and his whole attitude changed. Nino hoped that he had made a similar change, because he really felt happy now. He joined Jun on the towel. Ryo placed his towel on the ground and sat down opposite them. He pushed his shirt over his head and leaned back to let the sun shine on his body. Nino joined Ryo with removing his shirt. He could see Jun shifting next to him. He knew that Jun always felt uneasy with being naked.   
  
“It's okay, Jun,” Nino said. “It's only us.”   
  
Nino knew his friend felt uneasy whenever it came to uncover a part of him, and it didn’t matter if it was about uncovering something verbally or with his body. Jun nibbled on his lower lip before he undressed. His scars covered his shoulder and chest and Nino could see Jun’s cheeks flushing when he felt Ryo’s eyes resting on him.   
  
Jun rubbed his left hand over his shoulder like he wanted to cover his scars there. “I am sorry for looking at you,” Ryo said.   
  
“It’s okay.” Jun smiled at him. “It’s past.”   
  
Nino blinked. Something in him warmed up. Jun was right, past was past and they had a new chapter in their life now – no, they had a life for probably the first time in their long path on this world.   
  
“I heard you came from the shop?” Ryo asked probably to change the focus from Jun to the both of them.   
  
Nino nodded. “And you?”   
  
“Satoshi paid a rich man in the north to get me free,” Ryo explained.   
  
“This place hadn’t been a nice one?” Jun wanted to know.   
  
Ryo shook his head. “It was horrible, but Satoshi rescued me, so I am okay now.”   
  
“Are you together?” Nino shrugged when he saw Jun’s dark glance on him. He knew he was pretty direct, but he had always been when he had been allowed to be like this.   
  
Ryo’s cheek flushed. “I guess so, but he didn’t get any closer to me than a little making out.” He tousled through his hair. “And you?”   
  
“No,” Nino said. Or was he together with Sho? They didn’t even kiss in the end, but there was this special electric feeling rushing through his veins every time the other was close to him.   
  
“Yes, I guess so,” Jun giggled nervously. Nino blinked. Really? Jun had made it and that with his dark past and with his fear from human beings?   
  
“Really?” Nino heard himself saying, more astonished than he wanted to sound.   
  
Jun nodded. He didn’t even realize the slight jealous undertone in Nino’s voice, at least he hoped that. “At least we kissed and I think Masaki confessed or so.”   
  
Ryo grinned at him. “That’s great, and you seem to like him too?”   
  
Jun bit his lip. “Pretty much, but I am afraid that he thinks that I exploit him.”   
  
“I think you need to cut off your sorrow, Jun. I see you looking at him and him looking at you. I think that fit. And Nino,” Ryo turned to him. “You should get your ass up to get Sho.”   
  
Nino opened his mouth but closed it again. He didn’t know what to say. It was one of the rare times he was speechless. Yes, Ryo was right, he should get closer to Sho, but how? He was a slave after all, and everything he learned had been obeying and not to talk about his own feelings. “I think it’s not that easy.”   
  
“I think he likes you,” Jun said encouraging.   
  
Ryo nodded in agreement. “Let’s say next time we get here, we talk about our bed stories, like normal friends do?”   
  
That sounded too good to be true, but Nino still doubted that this would happen, nevertheless he agreed with a nod.   
  
“How about a bath now?” Jun suggested and jumped up to get to the water. Nino shook his head. “I will stay here, but you go.” He smiled.   
  
“Oh no,” Ryo laughed. “You come along.” He took Nino’s wrist to pull him up. Slight fear came up in Nino.   
  
“Okay, okay.” Nino stood up and watched Jun and Ryo jumping into the water.   
  
“Woah, that’s cold,” Jun chuckled when he went up from under the water again.   
  
Ryo jumped a little till his whole body was under the water. Nino could feel some water drops on his chest. He shivered a little, but not because the water had been cold, but because the water got deeper. He stopped when the water reached around his thighs.   
  
Nino heard some birds singing above him and he turned his head up to look at them, when he felt two hands around his waist, pulling him into the water. He felt losing the ground under his feet and his whole body got surrounded by the water. He opened his eyes under the water and everything around him got blur. He started struggling against the water and a loud scream escaped his lips when he went up from under the water after a few seconds. His hands were moving furiously and he got some fresh air. His heart beat was fast and he could feel the panic coming up from his belly to his throat where it felt like cutting his voice of. Another loud moan escaped his lips and he twisted and turned to find some hold or someone to help him.   
  
“Nino,” he heard Jun’s voice yelling before he felt four hands catching his arms and bringing him back to stand in the water.   
  
Jun and Ryo helped him to their towels and placed him there. He could see Ryo’s pale face and Jun’s worried eyes resting on him. He had never talked about his fear from water, and now he somehow regretted it.   
  
“I am so sorry,” Ryo said again and again.   
  
Nino breathed in and out deeply. Jun wrapped a towel around his shoulders and rubbed them with his hands to calm him down, but it didn’t work. Nino could feel the panic and he couldn’t do anything to prevent it. The fear crawled through his veins and muscles and everything in him stiffened. It had been a long time since he had felt like this for the last time, but now it didn’t seem to stop. Nino’s mind played him a trick, he couldn’t stop the panic, it overwhelmed him.   
  
“Who screamed, what happened?” Nino heard Sho’s voice from the small path which leaded to the cottage. Oh god, they had heard him, but he never wanted anyone to see him like this ever again.  
  
“Nino.” Ryo’s voice sounded worried and guilty and he was moving. Nino didn’t want to make him feel bad, because he had no bad intention, it was his damaged mind fooling him.   
  
“Ryo dived him into the water and he started screaming,” Jun explained.   
  
“Why?” Sho asked. His voice was worried and hectic.   
  
“I have no idea,” Jun said. Of course he hadn’t. Nino had never talked about it, except his words last night to Sho. He concentrated on the ground and started counting the grass. Maybe this would make him feel better.  
  
Nino got lost in his thoughts till he felt two arms around his waist, pulling him into a hug. First he stiffened, but when he recognized this smell as Sho’s he relaxed almost immediately. He felt save and the fog in his mind cleared up again. He leaned into the embrace and his whole body let go off. “I am sorry.” Nino looked finally up at Ryo. “I didn’t want to scare you.”   
  
“What happened to you?” Sho wanted to know. His breath was tickling in Nino’s neck. It let goose bumps appear on his skin.   
  
“I …” Nino started. Was he able to talk about it? “My first owner almost drowned me when I had been five years old, because I did something wrong. Since then I am terribly afraid of water. I am sorry that I didn’t say this beforehand. I was afraid that you’d laugh about me.”   
  
“I am sorry,” Ryo said again. He bowed. “If I had known about it…”   
  
“It’s okay.” Nino shook his head.   
  
“Hey, how about we get back to the cottage, Ryo and Satoshi you can care about the fish and meat for the barbeque and Jun and I will prepare the bread and salads and the dessert?” Masaki suggested. It was a drastic change of the topic, but Nino thanked him for this. He didn’t want to talk any further about it, at least not with everyone and not now.   
  
“And we’ll stay here a little longer,” Sho said with a smile, his hands still around Nino. This sounded perfect for Nino, because now he was sure what he wanted to do and to say. He knew now that he was definitely in love for the first time in his life. No one had ever managed it to calm Nino down when he had been in this state, not even Jun, and he was Nino’s best friend after all.   
  
Nino nodded. “That would be nice.”


	17. Chapter 17

****Masaki walked back to the cottage with Jun right next to him. He could hear Satoshi and Ryo whispering something behind them. He couldn’t hear everything, but he was sure that he heard how Ryo apologized again and again for what had happened. He was sure that Ryo didn’t intend to scare Nino like that and he could understand that he was so damn shocked.  
  
He turned to Jun. “Did you know?”   
  
Jun just shook his head. He also looked pale and slightly panicked. “I thought my heart would stop when I heard him screaming.”   
  
Masaki nodded. He had already guessed something like this. Otherwise Jun would have reacted earlier to prevent this happening. He placed his arm around Jun’s shoulder to pull him a little closer. “He is in good hands now,” Masaki whispered.   
  
They entered the house and Satoshi and Ryo excused to get a short rest, which would be a talk and probably some more apologizes from Ryo.   
  
“I think I need a shower and some dry clothes,” Jun said, sounding absent-minded when they had reached their room.   
  
Masaki held him back. “Hey,” he said. “Everything is okay. Sho’s with him.”   
  
Jun nodded. “It was just … I never heard such a scream for a long time. Last time it was …,” he stopped.   
  
Masaki could already guess what Jun wanted to say when he saw Jun brushing over his scars on his upper arm. “It was you screaming, right?”   
  
Jun nodded. Masaki didn’t know what to say. Were there any words he could use now, which wouldn’t sound too stupid? Probably not. He stepped to Jun to close the distance between them and pulled Jun into an embrace. Maybe it was the best thing he could do now. He felt Jun leaning against him, searching for Masaki’s warmth. Masaki didn’t care that Jun was wet and cold. The slow breath and Jun’s tiny moves with his hands on Masaki’s back let him feel all warm.   
  
“Can I ask something?” Masaki heard Jun saying while his head rested against Masaki’s shoulder.   
  
“Sure,” Masaki said, dissolving from the other. He could see Jun getting nervous. “Jun, what do you want to ask?” Masaki said when there came no question.   
  
“Are we together or not?” Jun almost blurred out. His cheeks were red and his fingers moved nervously.   
  
It made Masaki laugh out loud, which made him earn a dark glance from Jun. “Of course we are, stupid.” He pulled on Jun’s neck to get him closer and placed a peck on Jun’s lips. Okay, he hadn’t been sure either about it beforehand, but now he had no fear and no doubt about anything anymore. He had fallen for Jun, and nothing would change this. When they had heard this terrible scream, he feared that something might have happened to Jun and he’d never forgive himself when this would happen.   
  
Masaki saw Jun smiling at him, like he had never seen him smile before. It was the most incredible and amazing smile on earth – at least for Masaki, because Sho and Satoshi would probably say something else. “Seems that this okay for you?” Masaki joked.   
  
Jun smacked him playfully before he turned to go to the bathroom. “I was never happier than I am now,” Jun said when before he closed the door to the room.   
  
Masaki breathed out. He was glad that Jun hadn’t recognized how afraid and nervous Masaki had been because of this question, but now there was everything clear and he was in a relationship from now on. Oh god – now Masaki panicked a little. His last relationship was years ago, and he didn’t feel all over confident about this.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino and Sho didn’t move for a while. The others had already gone minutes ago, but they still sat there, staring at the water curling on the surface. Nino closed his eyes to memorize the feeling of Sho’s hands around him. “I am sorry for what happened to you,” Sho said after a while.   
  
“It’s okay, it’s not Ryo’s fault,” Nino answered.   
  
“No, I mean what happened to you back when you had been a child,” Sho explained.   
  
Nino shrugged. “That was long ago and I decided to leave my past behind.” Okay, he had decided this an hour ago when Jun had said this, but in the end it just count that he had made the decision to forget about everything he had experienced. He wanted to move on, to look forward, and he wanted the other, he just had no idea how to speak about this without sounding stupid, and he didn’t want to think about what he would do if he’d get rejected. Would Sho make him leave him? Would he send him to another place? Or back to the shop? Would he keep him? Fear came up in him again.   
  
“Your shoulders tense up again, are you afraid of something?” Sho asked. Damn body language, Nino cursed in his mind.   
  
He sighed. Okay, he would never find more courage than he had now. “Sho, I want to know if you can imagine…” He looked directly into Sho’s eyes and he had the feeling of getting lost somewhere in them.   
  
“Yes,” Sho said without waiting for Nino to finish his sentence.   
  
“You don’t know what I wanted to say.” Nino rolled his eyes.   
  
Now Sho laughed and his voice didn’t sound that worried anymore, but he was still scanning every move Nino made. “Oh, sorry, what do you wanted to say?” Was he fooling him here?   
  
“I wanted to ask if you can imagine being together with me,” Nino spoke way too fast, like he feared that his courage would leave him during talking.   
  
He waited for an answer, his eyes tightly closed. Sho didn’t say something, but soon Nino could feel Sho’s finger brushing his lips before Nino felt Sho’s lips on his. It was more amazing that Nino had imagined it. He guessed that he could take this as a yes and with that everything in him started spinning. Nino realized that this was the first time he was in love for real.   
  
~~~  
  
Ryo had apologized for another 500 times when Nino and Sho had come back to the cottage, but now they sat together in the garden and the meat on the grill smelled like heaven to Masaki. He hadn’t eaten something since breakfast and he could feel his stomach already grumbling.   
  
“You are really hungry?” Satoshi asked with a grin.   
  
“Yes, it’s too long without food, I need some more,” Masaki whined. He looked at Nino, who sat opposite. His cheeks were slightly flushed but he looked still pale. Masaki looked at his brother, who had the almost same redden cheeks, and he could already guess what had happened, but it made him feel all over good. “Oh, talking about food,” Masaki suddenly said.   
  
He stood up and walked to the fridge. He took the small plates with Kimchi and brought them to the table. “I tried to recreate a spice called Kimchi. I think it worked out. I made an appetizer for you all.” He gave everyone a plate and sat on his place. He looked around how they tried it.   
  
Nino wrinkled up his nose. “No, that’s not my taste.” He looked at Masaki. “I am sorry about it.”   
  
Masaki shook his head. It was okay that it didn’t taste good for Nino. Sho smiled. “I take yours.” That was foreseeable, Sho liked everything concerning food.   
  
“Not that bad,” Satoshi said and Ryo agreed to him. “But I don’t need it often,” Satoshi added.   
  
Masaki looked at Jun who tasted only a bit of it, before he started eating the vegetable-Kimchi mix. “That’s good.” Something in Masaki jumped. He gave a lot on Jun’s opinion.   
  
“Here we go,” Satoshi said with a grin. He had a big plate with various kind of meat on it.   
  
“Wow, that’s amazing. Satoshi, you aren’t the best cook, but you definitely know how to make a good barbeque.” Masaki took a bite of the meat and his stomach grumbled in happiness. He loved the spices Satoshi combined on the steak and the meat was soft and almost melting on his tongue, like he loved it most.   
  
“Oh, by the way, Masaki, Sho, I got a message before we came here. We need to go to the north tomorrow evening and not next week. I hope that’s okay?” Satoshi asked and looked from one to the other.   
  
Masaki didn’t look at Jun, but he could somehow feel the other stiffening next to him like he was afraid. He looked at Nino and Ryo, who had almost no colour in their faces. Masaki knew that the north always contained danger and after war zones, but someone needed their help and they were doctors after all. They needed to help the people there and in the end Satoshi needed someone to help with the botanic problems. So there was no discussion about not going there, and no one, not even Jun would keep him away from doing his job.   
  
“I have an idea,” Masaki said and looked from Jun to Ryo and finally Nino. “How about you stay in my rooms together till we are back? I need someone to take care of my winter garden and my animals?”   
  
“Me too?” Ryo looked at him, his finger pointing at himself. “But I don’t live at your place.”   
  
“Ah, that doesn’t matter. As long as you stay in the cellar and winter garden, nothing can happen to you. I will prepare everything for you, so you have enough food, and whatever you need to stay a few days there.” Masaki smiled. He had the feeling that the others liked the idea. He looked at Sho who gave him a silent nod of agreement and then he saw Satoshi’s eyes resting on him and a small ‘thank you’ formed around his lips.   
  
“I would love that,” Jun said. He seemed to understand that there was no way that they’d stay at home but when he saw Nino’s dark glance, he wasn’t sure if Sho would go to sleep without a discussion beforehand.   
  
Later on, when Masaki helped Satoshi cleaning the barbeque griller Satoshi whispered. “I really thank you for the invitation, you can’t imagine how much it burdened me to leave Ryo alone at home. He doesn’t like it staying alone, and I feared he wanted to accompany us, but it’s too dangerous.”   
  
“I know,” Masaki agreed. “It’s no problem. I think they’ll get along well.”   
  
Masaki walked back to his room when they had done the cleaning. They’d drive back to their manor early in the morning, but for now he needed some sleep. He closed the door and looked at Jun’s light brown eyes resting on him from the border of the bed, where Jun sat, his hands rubbing nervously against each other. “What happened?” Masaki asked, a little afraid that it was something bad. 


	18. Chapter 18

“Oh god, what happened?” Masaki asked. The fear that Jun wanted to tell him something he didn’t want to hear washed through him in hot waves.

Jun shifted on the bed. “Masaki, I …” He breathed out. “Oh god, I can’t say it out loud.” It would have been cute to see Jun like this, when there wouldn’t be the nervous feeling in Masaki.

Masaki stepped closer. He knelt between Jun's legs, his hand brushing Jun's thighs. "What happened? Please talk to me."

"I want to sleep with you, Masaki." Jun looked at Masaki with his light brown eyes.

Masaki breathed out. His tension faded and he had a smile curling around his lips. "I thought something bad happened to you."

Masaki brushed Jun's cheek with his fingers. His skin was warm and Jun closed his eyes, probably to concentrate on the feeling of Masaki's fingers on his face.

Even though Masaki felt relieved, there was a new nervousness growing in him when he realized what Jun had asked him for. Something in his belly started jumping up and down, making him feel like throwing up.

"You look like you don't want to," Jun mused.

"There's nothing I want more, I am just a little nervous. I want you to feel good after all," Masaki said.  
Jun just looked at him before he leaned forward to place his lips on Masaki's. They had kissed hours last night, but the feeling now was different. Jun wrapped his arms around Masaki's neck to pull him closer. He got more offensive and his actions were more confident, like he exactly knew what he wanted.

Masaki pulled Jun up to get him on the bed and hovered over him. He left butterfly kisses all over Jun's face before he trailed down to nibble on Jun's neck. He could feel Jun's hands on his back. Jun opened his legs to make Masaki lie between them, a soft moan escaping Jun's lips when Masaki rubbed his crotch against Jun's.

Masaki leaned up on his legs and smiled down at the other. Jun's cheeks were red and lips slightly parted, small heavy breathes escaping him. Masaki brushed Jun's hips and took hold of Jun's shirt to remove it. He let his fingers trailing down Jun's chest, brushing his scars softly, which made Jun turning away, embarrassed.

"Don't," Jun whispered.

Masaki smiled. "You are beautiful, Jun." He didn't wait for an answer, but kissed Jun again.  
Between the kisses Masaki removed his shirt. He could feel Jun's hands exploring Masaki's upper body before Jun sat up to switch place with Masaki and soon he was hovering over Masaki, kissing down his chest till he nibbled on Masaki's hips, his hands opening Masaki's pants.

Masaki raised his hips to make it easier for Jun to remove his pants. Masaki breathed out deeply when he felt Jun's hand roaming over his crotch. He could feel Jun's lips on his hipbone, sucking on his skin till a small mark appeared there.

Masaki smiled at him and pulled softly on Jun's shoulders to make him look up. He pulled on Jun's hips and let his hands brush down till he could lower Jun's pants to remove them. He made Jun lie back on the bed and pushed him down gently when Jun shifted.

For a moment he looked at Jun's naked body. Jun turned his head to the side embarrassed. "I feel exposed," he whined.

Masaki slipped out of his underwear and smiled. "Now we are equally exposed."

He chuckled before he got earnest again "I want to make you feel good." Masaki smiled. He stroked over Jun's body. He started with light kisses on Jun's chest down where he started circling his tongue around Jun's nipples. He let his hand wander down Jun's belly, down his hips till he reached Jun's thighs. He brushed his fingers up and down there teasingly before he reached up to stroke Jun's already hardening cock. Some small moans escaped Jun's mouth, it were the most beautiful noises Masaki had ever heard.

Masaki let his tongue dance down Jun's belly till he let it swirl around the tip of Jun's dick. He licked him teasingly before he started sucking him. Jun's pants got deeper and Masaki had a smile curl around his lips when he felt Jun's hands finding their way into Masaki's hair, pulling him down deeper. Masaki let Jun buck his hips upwards till his moans got louder.

Masaki released his dick from his mouth. Jun looked already worked up and close to the edge. "Please do me." Jun's voice was hoarse and deep.

"No." Masaki smiled. He could see Jun's slightly shocked face. Jun looked irritated. Masaki leaned forward till Jun's face was only inches away from his. "I want to feel you in me." Did this sound naughty or cheesy? In the end he didn't care about it. He wanted to feel the other, that was the most important thing.

I never topped before," Jun said, sitting up. "I fear I hurt you or I don't do it right."

Masaki took Jun's face between his hands. "You can't hurt me, okay?"

Jun nodded shyly. "Do you have...?"

Oh god, Masaki forgot about that. He hadn't had the intention to make this happen here, so he wasn't prepared at all. "Damn, wait a moment."

He jumped up to get to the bathroom and returned with some body lotion. "I don't have condoms though. We can stop here of course and wait till we are at home." Masaki suggested, but Jun shook his head.

"For me it's okay. I ..." Jun sighed. "I got tested and I am okay." He was embarrassed about that, but Masaki just jumped back to the bed and pulled Jun closer till their lips met for another heated kiss.  
"I have an annual check up - order from my parents, and I didn't have a partner for....nah, not that important. It was long ago." He smiled.

Jun smiled at him. He took the bottle out of Masaki's hand and opened it. Masaki lay back on the bed and waited till Jun was between his legs. He could see Jun gulping before he let his hand trail up Masaki's thigh till he reached Masaki's hole and started circling his finger around it. His other hand wandered up and down Masaki's cock, stroking him to distract him from the pain when the first digit went in.

Soon Masaki rocked back against three fingers in him and he could see Jun getting more confident with every second. "I am ready," Masaki panted.

Jun withdrew his fingers and took the bottle again to lube his dick before he leaned forward, pressing against Masaki's entrance. Masaki felt a short pain when Jun pushed inside, but soon je felt nothing but pleasure rushing through his body. Jun rocked his hips against him. He seemed that he had forgotten about the fear of hurting Masaki. It made him smile.

Jun had his eyes closed. He moved his hips almost frantically against Masaki. Masaki could feel every inch of his body was like on fire. He felt like Jun could reach every part of his body.

Masaki soon felt the heat in his body rising. When Jun's cock nudged the certain spot in him, Masaki felt like his belly exploded.

He grasped for Jun's hand and placed it on his twitching cock. "Please."

Jun started stroking him slowly, his hips moving like he tried reaching deeper and deeper with every thrust.

Masaki felt like fading out. His whole body was electric and he arched his back when Jun's thumb brushed the tip of his cock.

The heat in Masaki's belly grew bigger and the hot feeling spread. Masaki's toes started curling and he was sure that he had been a moaning mess.

Jun's hips moved against his thighs frantically and with a hard thrust against Masaki's spot he couldn't hold back anymore and he came. He felt the hot waves running through his whole body and every touch seemed almost too much.

Masaki held his hips up to support Jun. He clenched around him and finally Masaki felt Jun cuming.  
For a moment they didn't move till Jun pulled out and collapsed on him.

"I think I love you," Jun whispered almost voiceless but Masaki could hear him and pulled Jun closer to lean in for a soft kiss.

"I don't think this, I know I love you." Masaki knew that this sounded way too cheesy, but Jun didn't seem to care, because he just smiled at him brightly before he went in for another kiss.


	19. Chapter 19

Nino slipped under the blanket. Sho was still in the bathroom, but Nino already got nervous.

"Hey," Sho said when he came back into the room. He walked up to the bed and lay down right next to Nino. Nino could feel Sho's hand on his hips to pull him closer. "Is everything okay?"

Nino nodded. He didn't know how to speak out loud what he wanted to say. He knew he wasn't a regular slave anymore, but he was afraid to make Sho angry with his words.

Sho turned to the side and leaned his head on his hand. "No, something burdens you. Tell me."

Nino shifted nervously. "I don't know how to talk about it." Embarrassment mixed with fear made its way through Nino's body.

"Just say it out loud," Sho suggested. His free hand searched for Nino's to intertwine their fingers.

"I already told you that I am a virgin, or no, let's say I never slept with men. I had some female owners instead." Nino's cheeks flushed.

"And that's a problem for you?" Sho asked.

Nino blinked. That wasn't what he wanted to say. Heat rushed through his body. "No, I thought it's for you and I think I need some time, but if you want, ..." Nino started, but Sho immediately stopped him with raising his hand. He smiled at Nino but didn't say anything for a moment before he just leaned forward to kiss Nino.

"I am okay with waiting, really," Sho said after they had dissolved from the kiss.

Nino felt every tension in him fading. He had always been someone who got easily drowned by things burdening him.

"Do you want to talk about that owner who wanted to drown you?" Sho asked a short while later.

"I don't know if I am able to, but I would be happy to get rid of this burden by talking about it," Nino said honestly. Only the thought about this time in his life made him feel like throwing up, but maybe it would become better if he'd get rid of it.

"You can start and stop whenever you want." Sho smiled at him. Nino could have got lost in this beautiful smile. It made him feel warm and save.

"I had to work in this big house when I was a child. My owner was rich, really rich. He had various slaves and maids and butlers. The younger ones had to live in the cellar, while the older ones already moved to the upper floors."

"The cellar?" Sho asked.

Nino nodded. "It was a dark, black hole. We didn't have light, water, or even a bed. The ground was wet and we got something to eat twice a week. I was there to work in the garden."

Sho's eyes rested on him, and they seemed to get darker with every second Nino spoke about his past. Sho sat up to lean against the bed's backrest. Nino felt Sho's hands around his waist and he pulled him up between his legs and wrapped his arms around Nino.

Nino felt so save and just good in this moment that he continued talking about his life. "I had been there since six months when suddenly flowers and fruits in the garden were stolen. I had never stolen something, so it wasn't me. But the owner didn't believe me, and for my punishment he dived me under the water till I was almost unconscious, that's why I am so afraid of waters."

Nino turned his head to look at Sho, who pulled his arms closer around Nino. "I am so sorry to hear that. I wished I would have been able to meet you earlier."

Nino shook his head. "At least we met." He smiled at Sho.

Nino felt Sho's fingers brushing his face before he leaned into the feeling when Sho's lips brushed his' softly.

Nino had kissed before, but he had never the feeling of hundreds of fireworks exploding in him. When he felt Sho's tongue brushing his lower lip to ask for permission to enter, he opened his mouth and their tongues started a playful fight.

Nino dissolved from the other and again there was this small insecure feeling in him. There was another thing burdening him. “Sho?”

The other had his eyes closed and was maybe already snoozing away. “Mhm?”

Nino shifted. “It’s senseless to ask you staying at home and not driving to the north, right?”

Sho opened his eyes to look at him directly. His eyes were darker, but not angry. “No, they need me there, Nino. We are doctors after all. We can’t decide where to go, we want to help everyone who needs us.”

Nino nodded. Yes, he had already guessed something like this. “Can you just do me a favour and take care of yourself?”

Nino knew the north side of the country. He had been there and it was far away from safe there. He was afraid that something might happen to Sho. “Nothing bad will happen, I promise.” Sho kissed him before he lay back on the bed and brushed the blanket over his and Nino’s body.

Still, Nino’s bad feeling didn’t go away, and he just hoped that Sho was right, and nothing would happen to them. Somehow he wished that he could accompany Sho to the north, but maybe it was better to stay at home in this case.

~~~

After a long hot shower Masaki and Jun coiled up in the bed. Masaki let his fingers brush over Jun's scars. He kissed some of them, making Jun wince because of the touch. "Who did this to you?"

Jun turned to Masaki. He had a sad sparkle in his eyes, and for a moment he thought about keeping quiet about it, but in the end he sighed and started talking. "Shiwamoto-san and some are from the club back in my younger days, but the most are from this one night I already told you about." Jun twisted some of Masaki's hair between his fingers. He seemed lost in his thoughts for some moments. "But it's past, and I want to leave it there."

Masaki smiled. That sounded good, too good to be true. He remembered about the books he had read some time ago. "You know, there is an island somewhere close to America where people live freely. I think that would be so nice to have it here."

Jun slipped closer. Masaki could feel his breath in his neck and Jun's lips brushed his neck playfully. "I am already happy."

The small butterflies in Masaki started dancing up and down happily when he heard Jun saying this. He was right, they were happy - for now, but what would happen if someone got to know about them? What should he do then? Masaki and Sho had to think about a plan, because one thing was clear for him: he'd never let Jun (or Nino) get away from their life again.

"Masaki?" Jun asked.

"Sorry," Masaki said. "I was absent minded. What did you say?"

Jun's smile faded. "Please be careful when you are in the north." He kissed Masaki's lips. "I am afraid that something might happen to you."

Masaki smiled at him. He could understand Jun’s fear, because he wasn’t happy about going there either, but there was no way to change this. “I have been there once, and I am honest, I don’t like the north, but there are people who need us there.”

“I know,” Jun sighed. “And I know I can’t make you stay?” Jun half asked. Maybe he hoped that Masaki would skip this trip. Masaki drew small patterns with his fingers on Jun’s skin. He slipped back into his thoughts again.

“You know I always think that there are maybe good-hearted people up there who just want to help others and now they need someone to help them,” Masaki said.

Jun straightened up. He placed his head on Masaki’s chest and looked up at him. “You know that you are far too nice?” He chuckled. “You want to help everyone, right?”

Masaki stroked Jun’s head. “Yeah, maybe you are right. I really want to help everyone, but you know. I will go there now, and I will stop these adventurous trips from now on. There are a lot of people who need me around here.”

“So this will be the last time you drive to the north?” Jun seemed delighted.

Masaki nodded. Yes, he’d stop this, and he had to think about some changes in his life from now on. He needed to talk with his brother about it, because he was sure that Sho had same thoughts.

~~~

Nino watched Sho, Masaki and Satoshi leaving the house. He stood with Jun and Ryo in the winter garden where they watched the car leaving. Nino felt depressed and his bad feeling wasn’t vanishing. What if …? Various scenarios rushed through his mind, and judging from how Jun and Ryo sat at the pond, staring at the turtles swimming there, they didn’t want to watch their friends driving away.

Akira nudged her nose against Nino’s thigh. During the last weeks he got used to the dog, and it sounded stupid, but now Akira gave him some kind of calmness, maybe because it was Sho’s dog after all, and he had the feeling that he was a part of Sho, even though that sounded stupid.

Nino still stared out of the window, even though the car was already gone. He sighed and stepped to the others.

Ryo and Jun were talking with each other, while their hands stroked the turtles’ armature. “They are gone now,” Nino said. He was depressed and still afraid that something might happen to the others. He didn’t like it being alone at home while the others were out there in the north.

Jun looked up at him. Nino smiled when he saw the strength in the other’s eyes. It was amazing to see Jun’s change. “Hey, Jun. There is something in your eyes. What happened?” Nino asked. He could see Jun blushing.

“Nothing,” he murmured while he turned his eyes back to the animals, like he didn’t want to look at the others.

“No, don’t tell me that there is nothing, I can see it in your eyes that there had something happened to you,” Nino chuckled.

Jun looked at him, showing on of his rare bright smiles, which would appear more and more from now on, Nino was sure about it. “I think I am just happy now,” Jun said.

“Oh, you have a real relationship now, right?” Ryo giggled happily. Life could have been so good, Nino thought. Why couldn’t they be just normal friends, sitting here together, chatting about stupid lovers, or going to work like ‘normal’ people did.

Jun’s cheeks blushed. “Yeah,” he murmured.

Nino sat next to his friends. “That’s really good, Jun. I think now we can head to a better life, can’t we?”

Jun turned to him. “Maybe, but do you think that this can last forever? You know how other people think about us. We aren’t worth to live with humans.”

Jun’s words hurt Nino. He got so used to this dream-like life during the last weeks that he almost forgot about his fear that this could end one day.

“I don’t know. Maybe I don’t want to think about an end,” Nino said. He knew it was blunt, but he finally had something he called life, and he didn’t want to think about bad times anymore, even though they’d come one day.

“Me neither,” Ryo agreed. “I survived a lot of things in past, but I don’t want to think about it anymore, and even though such times might come again, I don’t want to be afraid of it now.”

Jun nodded at Ryo. He seemed so absent-minded, even though he was happy, something bothered him, and Nino could probably understand it best: the north – what should they do if something might happen to them in the north?

“Ryo-chan, you lived in the north, right?” Nino asked. His knowledge about the north was just about a few months he had once spent there till he got sold again. He just could remember that even the rich humans didn’t dare to stay out at night on street. Gangs and bandits ruled the towns, and he didn’t even want to know what they did with slaves.

“Yes, I was born in the north, and I got sold there to a rich man, who was also part of the north’s most popular gang,” Ryo explained. He looked pale and it seemed that he didn’t want to think about how times had been in the north.

“Tell me, Ryo-chan, is it really that dangerous there? I mean for humans, not for us?” Jun sounded worried.

Ryo looked down on the turtles. He seemed to think about his answer and for a moment Nino had the feeling that Ryo didn’t want to tell them the truth.

“Didn’t you live in the north?” Ryo asked.

“Yes,” Nino said. “But I was quite young, and I can’t remember everything. But maybe it’s better to not know what’s going on there.”

Nino could see Jun’s face colour fading. The more he seemed to think about what could happen there, the more nervous he got.

“I can’t tell you about the situation now, because I never ever want to go back there, but the time I had to live there was worst,” Ryo explained. He seemed to think about his words closely. Probably he didn’t want to say something to make Nino and Ryo more nervous, but Nino already doubted that this was possible. “But the times back then were ruled by evil persons. They treated even humans bad. They had slaves, but you don’t want to imagine what some of them did to us. I don’t know how many slave friends I’ve lost during the last years.” Ryo looked at the animals again. He seemed deep in his thoughts before he looked up again smiling at Nino and Jun. “But it’s past, and I don’t want to think about it again. And our owners are humans, they aren’t in that danger. I am sure everything will be alright.”

“I am still afraid,” Jun said.

“We all are,” Nino agreed. “But hey, we have two days alone here, how about cooking something together?” He tried to cheer up the mood. He knew it was just a half-hearted try to make them calmer, but there was nothing else they could do right now.


	20. Chapter 20

“It’s really beautiful here in the north,” Aiba said when they stepped out of the car. It was a little bit colder than at home, and the area was dustier than it had been at home. The city where they stopped reminded Aiba of the old books he had read. “It looks a little bit like in grandpa’s wild west stories.”   
  
Sho nodded at him. “I guess it’s not far away from that, especially when I look at the guys over there. Aiba looked at three men standing there together, observing them closely. He could see the guns under the coats and he was sure that they wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.   
  
Aiba gulped. It was the first time he wished to be back at home. “Where do we need to go?” He asked Ohno.   
  
“I got told that there is a mine outside town under that small hill over there. The doctor here will meet us now, and he’ll tell us about his research. He told me that he fears that the sickness around here is linked to a certain material they get from the mine. Maybe it’s in the air, or mixed with the water. He told me that they drink the water from the lake, and I am not sure if that’s a good idea,” Ohno explained.   
  
“Is there a sick person we can meet?” Sho asked. “Maybe we can get a guess what’s the reason for the illness around here.”   
  
“I think he’ll show us everything around here. I just hope that we don’t get in danger with the other people. I heard that they aren’t overall happy to see strangers around here,” Ohno said. “Let’s get to this bar over there. Doctor Kamenashi waits for us there.”   
  
The bar was dusty and small and smoke covered the air. In the corner of the bar sat young man, who smiled at them, while the others around only stared at them unfriendly – at least Aiba had the feeling that they weren’t happy to see them here.”   
  
“Ohno-san, thank you so much for coming,” Kamenashi smiled at them. He bowed. “I am so happy about that, really. The situation becomes more and more dangerous and slowly I am running out of ideas what I can do.”   
  
They sat down at the table and Kamenashi waved at the barkeeper. “Three beer, Haruko.”   
  
The man nodded without a word and took three bottles from a fridge behind him. He came up to the table and placed the bottles there – again without saying something.   
  
“Don’t be afraid, the people here are careful when it’s about new people. They have experienced so many robberies and murder during the last years that they don’t like strangers around here. But I told them that you are here to help them,” Kamenashi explained.   
  
“Is there a patient with these symptoms you talked about?” Ohno wanted to know.   
  
Kamenashi nodded. “The barkeeper’s wife. She is upstairs if you want to take a look at her.”   
  
“That would be great,” Sho said.   
  
Aiba turned to the barkeeper. He really didn’t look all over nice, but in his eyes there was a certain tiredness and he seemed really worried. “Can you tell us some things?” Aiba asked him.   
  
The man nodded and came up to them. “What do you want to know?” His voice was hoarse.   
  
“Did your wife eat something special? Or did she drink something she never drank before?” Aiba asked. He took out his small notebook and waited till the barkeeper started talking.   
  
“She didn’t do anything special,” he said. “But…,” he said and made a pause. “Wait a moment.” He rubbed his chin. “Last week she told me about some flowers she had picked up. She was outside town and she told me that she took some water from a fountain for the flowers and she drank a few sips of the water.”   
  
Aiba wrote that down and looked up. “What symptoms were the first?”   
  
“She told me about stomach-ache and soon she threw up and her skin got grey,” the man said. He really seemed to suffer because of the situation.   
  
“Can we visit her?” Sho asked.   
  
The man nodded. “Follow me.”   
  
They stood up to get upstairs. The rooms were small, and even though it was cleaned it looked dusty. Aiba could see two young girls standing at the doorframe upstairs. They were hardly older than 10 years. “Hello,” Aiba said with a smile, but the barkeeper immediately stopped him.   
  
“Please, they are just the slaves here, you don’t need to talk with them,” he explained. “My children are with their grandparents. They shouldn’t see her mother suffering.”   
  
In this moment Aiba decided to switch off his mind during this journey. He had already guessed that this area wasn’t the best for slaves, but he also knew how dangerous it could become for non slaves, so he definitely needed to stay quiet. “You’re right,” he just said, but it seemed enough words for the barkeeper. He smiled at him and gave him a friendly nod.   
  
“Here is her room,” he said and let them step into a small bedroom where a woman laid on a bed. She was sweating and her breathe was slow and sometimes it stopped for a moment. She looked pale and dark rings spread under her eyes. If there wouldn’t have been the small movements of her chest, Aiba would have guessed that she was dead.   
  
Sho handed Aiba gloves. He put it on and stepped closer to the bed. He placed his hand on the woman’s neck to check her pulse. “Far too slow,” Aiba said, earning a nod from Sho.   
  
“Look,” Sho said. He held up the woman’s hand. On her fingertips were small black patterns. “Have you seen something like this anywhere before?”   
  
Aiba tilted his head. No, he hadn’t seen that symptoms anywhere before. But he had a small guess what it could have caused. “Ohno-san, you said something about the mine.” Aiba turned to his friend.   
  
“Yes, every patient was somehow connected to this mine. They were either in the mine or somewhere around it,” Ohno said. He turned to Kamenashi. “Or do you have other information?”   
  
Kamenashi shook his head. “No, it’s exactly like you said. They are connected to this mine. It’s the only thing they all have in common.”   
  
“I think we need to see that mine and the area around,” Aiba said. He opened his bag and pulled out a bottle with small white stones in it. “I am not sure if that can help her by now, but it can’t make it worse either. So cook some water and place a small piece of stone in the water. She shall drink it – slow sips,” Aiba explained. “When her body is poisoned it can maybe help her getting rid of the poison in her blood.”   
  
“I will tell the slaves to cook the tea,” he said. Suddenly Aiba could see something in guy’s eyes. There was something he wanted to add, but he didn’t dare to.   
  
“Your slaves take care of your wife?” Aiba asked.   
  
The man looked at the ground. He shook his head. “I don’t want to cause any problems or make you leave without helping my wife and the others here, but our slaves are like children for us. They didn’t want to leave the place, that’s why they stayed here and decided to help my wife.” He sighed. “We don’t have own children. But everyone here believes that our children died some years ago.” He looked at Aiba and suddenly his eyes were filled with worry. “Please don’t stop helping us, just because my wife and I were too good-hearted.”   
  
Aiba smiled at him. “Don’t worry, it’s okay. We are here to help the sick people and not to judge about other things.”   
  
The man bowed. “Thank you so much.”   
  
“Can you guide us to the mine?” Sho asked the man.   
  
“Yes, of course. I will guide you. Kamenashi-san knows the area, but I was raised here, I know every rock and tree. I will come with you,” the man said. He gave the bottle to the two girls and told them what they should do with it and took his coat to leave this place together with them.   
  
~~~  
  
Nino turned in the bed. He had again dreamed about Sho and him. It had never happened to him that he dreamed about someone else. Nino felt Jun next to him moving. He turned to look at his friend’s face. He had never seen Jun so relaxed and calm. When they had slept next to each other back in the shop, Jun had been moving a lot in sleep. He had often yelled and talked in sleep, but now he was calm and there was even a smile curling around Jun’s lips.   
  
Nino wondered if he looked better too. Was he healthier? Was he happier? – Yes he definitely was, and it was the first time he really had deep feelings for someone, that he even pushed away the things he got taught years ago: Never ever allow yourself to feel something. No pain, no sadness, no tiredness, but the most important thing: no love. You aren’t allowed to feel anything for anyone higher than you. And slaves aren’t humans, so you can’t love something which isn’t human.   
  
Jun opened his eyes and looked at Nino. “Everything okay?” Jun asked sleepy.   
  
“Yes, everything is perfect,” Nino replied. Yes, it was really everything alright. He listened to his inner voice and there was no bad feeling, no worry, no fear. The only bad feeling he had was when he thought about Sho, Ohno and Aiba in the north. But when they’d be back here, he’d give everything he had to Sho. God, he sounded so stupid and cheesy, but in the end he didn’t care about it. When he looked at Jun and how happy he looked, he wanted this too. Jun had always been the more emotional one. He was never been allowed to be like this, but Jun had never managed it to switch off his feelings, and that was the perfect way in Nino’s eyes. He himself had tried to let feelings happen, but he had serious problems with it.   
  
“Then why aren’t you sleeping?” Jun yawned. He rubbed his eyes and sat up.   
  
Nino shrugged. “I am not sleepy.” He and Jun had occupied Aiba’s bed, while Ryo slept in Jun’s room. They had spent hours talking about this and that, just to distract themselves from the nervousness.   
  
Nino turned on his back and stared at the ceiling. “Two more days.”   
  
“Mhm, I wished that they’d be already over. I hate this waiting and this fear that something might happen to them.” Jun’s voice was a little higher than usual. He was definitely worried. Nino had only experienced Jun one time like this. It had been when Nino had been ill back in the shop. He had been about to die, but he had been able to hear Jun’s voice talking to him every day. Maybe he had wanted to calm himself down more than to coax Nino gently.   
  
“What are we doing if something happens to…” Nino had his eyes closed when he said these words. He didn’t want to look at Jun, because he could already imagine Jun’s eyes. He knew his friend and he knew how broken Jun could look like when he thought about something bad.   
  
“No.” For Nino’s surprise Jun’s voice was strong and powerful. He had hardly ever heard his friend talking with an equal intense voice. He turned to look at Jun. His eyes were sparkling, and he had his hands in fists. “I am sure that everything will be alright, they’ll be back in two days and they’ll return without being hurt.”   
  
Nino’s lips turned into a small smile. “It’s nice to see you that strong-willed. And I just want to believe you.”   
  
“I hope you are right.” Nino and Jun almost jumped out of the bed when they heard Ryo’s voice from the door. “I am sorry, I didn’t want to scare you, I just can’t sleep either.”   
  
Nino robbed closer to Jun. “Come, it’s enough space for the three of us in this bed.”   
  
Nino could feel sleep overwhelming him, and even though the worry was still making something in him jumping up and down, he fell into a restless sleep.   
  
~~~  
  
Aiba walked behind Sho and Ohno who were talking with the bar owner and Kamenashi about the area around here. Aiba listened closely, but he also wanted to look around on his own. There wasn’t much nature anymore around, except some almost dried trees and plants. It was a sad picture surrounding him, and Aiba wished to be back at home in his garden, with all his flowers and animals around .He wasn’t even sure if anything alive was still out here in this area.   
  
“And there is the mine.” Aiba almost bumped into his brother when they suddenly stopped. He was concentrating on the small trees not far away. They had hardly any leaves and the tree-trunk looked almost black. This was definitely not normal.   
  
“Hey, watch out, Masaki,” Sho said, grabbing for Aiba’s arm to prevent him falling down.   
  
“Have you seen the plants?” Aiba asked his brother.  
  
“Yes, it doesn’t look good. There is something in the water I guess,” Sho mused.   
  
His brother was probably right, this all must have been connected to the water. “Can you show us a near fountain?” Aiba asked the bar keeper.   
  
He nodded at him. “Sure.” He turned round. “Not far from here, over there, is a small fountain. It’s not big, but back in my youth I was used to get my fresh water there. I once worked in the mine.”   
  
They walked to the place the bar keeper had pointed at and Aiba could immediately see that there was something wrong with this water. “Sho-kun,” he said and pointed at the other side of the small river the fountain had created. This was really nothing nice to look at. There were at least five animal corpses on the ground.   
  
Aiba searched for a way across the river and walked up to the animals. He knelt down to take a closer look at them. There was a rabbit followed by a fox and some birds. “It looks like the birds and the rabbit drank from the water, but the fox …” Aiba pulled out gloves from his bag and turned the fox’s body. “He didn’t drink it.” Aiba shook his head. “I am not an animal doctor, but it looks like the fox ate parts of the rabbit and died afterwards,” Aiba mused. He could see blood around the fox’s mouth and a part of the rabbit was already missing. “And there are no animals around to eat them. That’s rather unusual.”   
  
“You’re right.” Sho knelt next to him. “There aren’t even flies around here. That’s not normal.”   
  
“Can you guess the reason?” Kamenashi asked. He stood behind Aiba, looking down at them while the bar keeper tried to stay in the background. He probably wouldn’t admit it, but he seemed to be afraid of this situation.   
  
Aiba shook his head. “I can make a short test, but I am not sure if this will give us an answer.” He took a scalpel and cut a piece of the rabbit’s meat. “Give me the serum and the test tube.” Sho handed him the things and Aiba put the meat in the tube and let the serum drop onto the meat. The liquid turned from transparent to pinkish.   
  
Aiba and Sho exchanged a look. That was definitely not good. “It seems the animal was poisoned. And if I am not completely wrong, I would say that the reason is the water. There is something in it what makes animals and humans sick.”   
  
Sho nodded. “It just seems that animals die immediately, while humans have a stronger immune system. But in the end they all end up in bad condition. What is in this mine?”   
  
The bar keeper shrugged. “I don’t know.”   
  
“Oh come on,” Kamenashi huffed. “You worked there, you know what they are doing down there.”   
  
The bar keeper stared at the dead animals. He bit his lips nervously. He definitely seemed to think about what to say now. He knew more than he wanted to tell them. “Your wife.” Aiba made him look at him. “We can only help her if we know what’s going on there. We aren’t able to find a solution for this all if we don’t know what the reason behind this is.”   
  
“Okay,” the man said. “I worked there, and I signed a contract that I wouldn’t talk about the happenings down there. I am not sure about everything either. I just know that they experimented down there.”   
  
“Who is ‘they’?” Kamenashi asked.   
  
“The guys from the other side,” the man’s voice changed into a whisper like he feared that someone might hear him.   
  
Aiba was sure that he could see Kamenashi’s colour in his face fading. “You mean?”   
  
The man nodded. “Some years ago some real bad men decided to occupy this mine to test various things. Most of the experiments were about finding a powerful weapon against the enemy. And the best way to defeat everyone is a powerful poison you can even mix into food, water or pour it out of an airplane down into cities.”   
  
Aiba shuddered. Was there really someone doing this? This couldn’t be. “Are you sure?”   
  
The man nodded. “I worked down there. But I don’t think that they wanted to poison anyone here, I rather guess that there went something terribly wrong. In the end they live here on their own, so I don’t think that they wanted to kill themselves.”   
  
“Why haven’t I seen this?” Kamenashi breathed out. “It’s so obvious.”   
  
“Let’s go to this mine and check things out,” Sho suggested.   
  
“No, no,” the man held him back. “That’s a bad idea. They shouldn’t see you here. They are really evil.”   
  
Masaki patted his shoulder. “But we need to warn them. I am sure they don’t want to do this.”   
  
“But maybe we shouldn’t interfere in this. We were here to find the reason, and we did this job.” Ohno stepped to Aiba.   
  
“Satoshi,” Masaki said.   
  
“Oh, I know this face, you want to help them till you convinced everyone about your theory, but Masaki we should really make our way home.” Ohno tried it again, but he was right, Masaki wouldn’t give up now. He was asked to come here to help them, and his work wasn’t done by now.   
  
He took his bag and started walking to the mine followed by Sho and Ohno, but suddenly everything around him got black and he could just hear a yell right behind him and some voices screaming names and tangled things. Soon everything got numb around Masaki and he fell into a kind of sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

“There is a car outside,” Jun screamed. Nino was immediately up at his side, staring out of Masaki’s winter garden. There was really a car approaching the manor, but it was neither Masaki’s nor Satoshi’s car. Nino stretched to maybe see who was about to visit the manor.   
  
“It’s no one of the politicians. They come with carriages. That must be someone from farer away,” Ryo mused.   
  
Nino stopped breathing when the car door got open and someone stepped out of it, followed by a second man. They talked with the maid and the butler and suddenly everyone was running around uncontrolled and soon the door to Masaki’s rooms got open and Masaki’s parents stood there. “Come, help us,” the mother said.   
  
“Yes,” Nino said. He knew it was not the time to ask questions, but he could see Jun standing there like frozen. “Jun, come.” He took his friend’s hand, which was shaking.   
  
“I have a bad feeling, Nino,” Jun whispered.   
  
“Come now, let’s see what happened, and don’t think about something bad till we know what’s really going on here.” Nino tried to calm Jun down, but he himself felt like throwing up. That was definitely nothing good.   
  
“And you, Ryo, prepare the bed and some towels, water and cook some tea please,” the father said.   
  
“Yes, sir,” Ryo said. “One bed?”   
  
“Down here yes, we prepared a second one upstairs and a third one in the guest room in the ground floor,” and you two come now, we need your help,” the mother explained.   
  
Nino’s legs were shaking when they walked upstairs to the car outside. He could see someone standing there, his shirt full with blood. No, Nino could feel tears in him coming up. “Sho,” he breathed out.   
  
He wanted to start running, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to. Just when he saw Sho’s parents nodding slowly at him, he sped up his steps, dragging Jun along, who still held his hand tightly. He approached Sho, who tried smiling at him, but failed terribly. His face was swollen and red and there were several wounds on his face and some cuts on his arms. “Oh my god,” Nino said.   
  
“I am okay, more or less,” Sho’s voice was tired and worried. “But …” He looked at Jun.   
  
“Masaki,” Jun dissolved from Nino and hurried up to the car.   
  
He stepped back and bumped against Sho. Jun turned. “Is he…?”   
  
Nino gulped. No, that couldn’t happen. Masaki wasn’t allowed to die. Not after Jun was so happy about the relationship they shared.   
  
“No,” Sho said softly. “He got shot, but we hope that we can help him. His condition is weak though, and I don’t want to whitewash something, Jun. It doesn’t look good. But he has a pulse and he is still alive. As soon as we get him inside, Satoshi and I will try everything to make him recover.”   
  
“What should I do?” Jun said. The will in his body language seemed unbreakable and Nino had never seen his friend fighting for something like this before.   
  
“We do everything you say,” Nino said and stepped to Sho and Jun.   
  
Sho smiled at him, and the only thing Nino wanted to do was hugging Sho and never let him go again. “Help us carry him inside, because Satoshi isn’t able to carry anything right now.”   
  
Nino looked at Satoshi, who stepped out of the car in this moment. His arm was bandaged and some blood already appeared on the white mull. “Are you okay?” Nino asked.   
  
“A shot just grazed me. I am okay. I am just not able to move my arm freely, but it’s okay,” Satoshi answered with a smile.   
  
“Okay, we’ll do this.” Nino stepped to the car, Jun right beside him. Nino looked at Masaki lying there in the car. His face was pale and his breath was far too slow. He had some towels pressed on his belly. Each towel was covered with blood and there were pearls of sweat covering his face. Nino looked back at Sho. “How shall we touch him? Is there anything we can do wrong?”   
  
Sho shook his head. “Pull him out carefully.”   
  
They did like Sho told them to do and when they had Masaki’s body out of the car, Sho helped Nino taking Masaki’s upper body while Jun took Masaki’s legs. Satoshi came up to them and helped Jun as far as it was possible for him.   
  
They brought Masaki to his room and placed him on the sheets Ryo had prepared. Nino could see Ryo’s worried expression when they entered the room and he could see his relieve when Satoshi entered the room almost okay. Nino didn’t dare to say something, because he could see Jun suffering in this moment, and he hated himself for the thoughts he had … He was relieved that it wasn’t Sho, and even though he never ever wished something bad for Masaki, he was just glad that he wasn’t in Jun’s position.   
  
“Satoshi,” Ryo whispered.   
  
Satoshi smiled at him. “I am back in a few minutes, I promise.” He turned to Jun and Nino. “And you get out of here now, we need to help him now.”   
  
“No.” Jun stepped to the bed and knelt next to Masaki. He took his hand with both hands and held it tightly. “I won’t go outside now.”   
  
“Are you sure?” Sho said calm. “We need to cut the bullet out of him, and this won’t be a nice view.”   
  
Jun nodded. “I am sure. I don’t leave.”   
  
For a moment Nino thought about getting out of here, but when he saw Jun’s eyes resting on him, he knew that there was no way he could go now. Jun’s expression told him, that he needed Nino now at his side. “I am not leaving either. I will stay next to Jun.”   
  
“Okay.” Sho didn’t seem to be overall happy about them staying, but he didn’t say anything against it either.   
  
“Ryo?” Ohno asked.   
  
Ryo appeared at the doorframe. “Yes?” His voice was hoarse and he looked pale.   
  
“Masaki’s parents will bring you towels. Please heat water and cook the towels for at least ten minutes and bring them here when you are done,” Satoshi said.   
  
“Yes.” Ryo nodded and disappeared from the room, closing the door behind him.   
  
Satoshi looked at Jun and Nino. “He knows what to do, he already helped me various times.”   
  
Nino sat next to Jun, placing his hand on Jun’s knee and leaned his head on Jun’s shoulder, like he had always done when one of them felt bad. It had always calmed Nino down, and he hoped it would maybe have an effect on Jun too. Jun’s muscles were stiff but he seemed to calm down at least a little bit when Nino touched him.   
  
Ohno and Sho nodded at each other before they took away the towels from Masaki’s belly. His upper body was naked, but there was blood spread everywhere. Right in the middle of his body was a big wound where some more blood started running immediately.   
  
“Okay, give me the scalpel,” Sho said to Ohno. Sho had put on gloves and he stood right next to Masaki. Ohno handed him the item and placed his hand on Masaki’s belly.   
  
Nino had the feeling to throw up when he saw Sho making a cut into Masaki’s body. Jun had Masaki’s hand in his but he grasped with his other hand for Nino’s. Jun’s grip was strong and Nino had the feeling that Jun would press his hand till he had no feeling in it anymore, but Nino couldn’t care less in this moment.   
  
“It’s not that deep,” Ohno said with a smile. Did he just want to cheer them up, or was he telling the truth?   
  
Sho seemed totally concentrated with the scalpel in his hand. Masaki’s breath got faster and a moan escaped his lips before his head turned to the right and he didn’t move anymore at all. “Can you cool his neck and head, Jun?” Sho asked when he had finished making the cut.   
  
Jun nodded. He stood up and dissolved from Nino and Masaki to get the towels. He was back in a minute and started brushing the cold towel over Masaki’s head and neck. “Everything will be alright,” Jun whispered.   
  
Sho took the tweezers and pressed it a bit in Masaki’s body. Nino closed his eyes. He wasn’t able to look at something like this. He had seen various things, but this was definitely nothing he wanted to see.   
  
“The towels.” Ryo appeared in the room again.   
  
“Place them here,” Ohno said pointing at the bed. “Can you please search for some fresh bed linen. We need to change everything when we are done here.”   
  
“Sure,” Ryo said and headed back out of the room again.   
  
“I don’t get it,” Sho said after a while. “The bullet has moved. I can’t feel it anymore.”   
  
Nino closed his eyes again when he saw Sho digging his fingers into Masaki’s body. He couldn’t watch this scene. Jun next to him started shaking and Nino was sure that he heard a sob here and there from Jun. “I think it’s better for us to go outside,” Nino said after a while.   
  
Jun shook his head, but his whole body was already trembling. Nino placed his hand around Jun’s shoulder. “Let’s go outside, Jun. Sho and Ohno are here to take care of Masaki and we get outside to feed Masaki’s animals. What do you think he’ll say when he wakes up and there was no one taking care of his dog and cat and turtles?”   
  
“He’ll be mad at me?” Jun asked.   
  
“Exactly,” Nino lied. He knew that Masaki would never be mad about that, but it was the perfect reason to make Jun standing up and leaving the room together with Nino, and Nino was terribly thankful that he didn’t need to look at Sho’s hand in Masaki’s body and all the blood around him anymore.   
  
They stepped out and closed the door. “He is totally cold, Nino. He won’t survive this, I am sure about it,” Jun cried out. Nino had never seen Jun like this, not even after Jun had got beaten up once.   
  
“I am sure he’ll make it,” Ryo said when he approached them with the fresh bed linen. “I bring them inside and when I return we’ll drink some tea outside, okay?” Ryo suggested. He had a kind of paralyzing voice, because Jun just nodded and let himself being brought outside.


	22. Chapter 22

Masaki had his shoes in his hands and strolled down the beach. The soft breeze touching his face was warm, but not too warm, it felt just perfect. The sun was about to disappear behind the horizon and small waves curled around the stones farer outside on the sea. He approached a small house right next to the beach and let his shoes fall down before he walked in.

“I am back,” he said.

“Welcome,” he heard a voice from the kitchen. “I am almost done with dinner.” Jun’s head appeared at the doorframe, smiling at him with his big bright smile curling around his lips, which Masaki loved so much. He always had the feeling that the sun rose up again when he saw Jun smiling.

“It smells great, I am already starving,” Masaki said.

“Have you and Sho found what you searched for?” Jun’s voice resounded from the kitchen.

They had done research for the whole last week, but there were still some results missing. Slowly Masaki got desperate, but today they finally made a step forward. “There is something I’ve found today, but we need to make some more tests, but I am sure I can help the girl and she’ll be able to leave the hospital soon.”

“That sounds great.” Jun came into the room with two bowls of ramen.

“How was your day?” Masaki asked. He still could see Jun’s eyes sparkling when he talked about his work. Jun had never imagined that there would be a chance for him to work and with that to be seen as human being.

“Perfect. Nino got sunburnt and he is totally grumpy now, but I had fun,” Jun chuckled.

“He’s always behind the bar, how does he manage it to get a sunburn?” Masaki asked. He had seen Jun and Nino working in the small beach bar. Jun was serving the dishes while Nino mixed the cocktails and he had never seen Nino in the sun before.

“We changed places today. Our boss wanted me to make the cocktails,” Jun explained. “And Nino didn’t listen to me. He didn’t use a sun cream.”

Masaki tasted the soup and the warm feeling in his body immediately increased. He listened to the waves outside and Jun’s voice. Everything was perfect – too perfect, there was something terrible wrong. He felt pain in his belly and when Masaki looked down he could see the blood running down his shirt. What happened here?

Masaki closed his eyes. He felt everything spinning. “Masaki?” He heard Jun’s voice but he wasn’t able to open his eyes. “Please, wake up,” Jun said again.

Finally, finally was he able to open his tired eyes, but he wasn’t in his house anymore.

~~~

Ryo placed the cups with tea on the table. “Everything will be alright, I am sure about it.”

“They are in this room for one hour, and there is no voice coming from inside. I am sure there is something wrong,” Jun said. His whole body was tensed and every time Nino touched him, he could see Jun flinching.

“What the hell happened in the north?” Jun suddenly said. He sounded totally absent-minded, and Nino wasn’t sure if he was asking them or if he just spoke out loud what he had thought.

“They’ll tell us later when they are done helping Masaki.” Nino stroked Jun’s back, but he drew back when he had the feeling that Jun didn’t want to be pampered in this moment.

The next ten minutes felt like hours but then finally the door got open and Sho came out of Masaki’s sleeping room. Jun was immediately up and next to Sho. He didn’t say something but just looked at Sho.

“He is okay, I guess.” Sho patted Jun’s shoulder. “I was able to get the bullet out of his body and as far as I could see it there is nothing left inside and no organ got hurt. He’ll be alright.”

“Wouldn’t a hospital be better, Sho-san?” Ryo asked.

“No, they don’t have the machines I’d need, and I think I can say that Satoshi and I are the best doctors there, so we were here, and we don’t have machines, neither there nor here, so it doesn’t matter where we tried helping him. And the fact that you are here - ” Sho pointed at Jun “ – made the decision easier, because I think Masaki can feel the energy you try sending him.”

“Listen,” Satoshi said. “Jun, you stay here. You watch every move Masaki makes. He sleeps now. We gave him something against the pain and something to sleep. You call us immediately when he wakes up, and you change his wet towels from time to time. If there is anything, call us, okay?”

Jun nodded. “We need a shower and some medical treatment on our own, but we’ll be back after taking a break,” Sho said. “Do you think you are able to stay here with Masaki?”

“I can stay here,” Nino said, but Jun shook his head. He smiled slowly at Nino. Jun had always understand when Nino just said something because he wanted to help Jun, but now he could see that Jun wanted him to go with Sho, to have some time with his love.

“I am okay. I will call you immediately if something happens, I promise,” Jun said. “I will make some tea and a soup, just in case Masaki wakes up. And I will watch every move he makes.”

~~~

Nino followed Sho upstairs till they finally reached their rooms. He still looked at Sho’s wounds on his arms and his neck up his face. It looked terrible.

“Can you help me cleaning my wounds?” Sho asked. “I can handle the ones on my arm, but I guess I need some help with the ones on my neck and back?”

Nino nodded. “No problem, just tell me what to do.”

Sho sat down and removed his shirt. Nino could feel his heart beat increasing immediately, even though it was definitely not the time to think about something like this. Sho had only been away for two days, but Nino had already terribly missed him. “Take this and clean the wounds with it. And then cover it with this cream.”

Nino did like he was told. He slowly cleaned the wounds and placed some cream on the red and swollen parts. “What happened in the north?” Nino asked while he creamed the last wound right under Sho’s shoulder blade.

“There are evil men trying to sell poison for war, and we got in between them while checking the reasons for the deaths caused by this poison,” Sho explained. “That’s the short version,” he added.

“And they attacked you?” Nino stepped in front of Sho and knelt down to look him directly into his eyes.

“Yes, they came and shot, without warning. The others jumped on us, fighting against us immediately. We were lucky, because some of Kamenashi’s friends came to save us. But Masaki…,” Sho breathed out. His eyes got red, and he looked like he’d start crying every moment, but it was totally not Sho’s character to start crying in front of someone.

“Do you really think he’ll survive this?” Nino asked, but he didn’t know if he wanted to hear the truth. Masaki had looked so vulnerable and his breathe was so slow and he seemed to fade away step by step.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know.” Sho shook his head. “I am just glad to be back at home.” He had his gaze lowered and for a moment Sho seemed to be far away with his thoughts. Nino was sure to see tears running down Sho’s face, and Nino knew that he’d never see Sho that vulnerable and kind of lost any time again. He leaned forward and placed his hands around Sho’s neck to pull him into an embrace. Sho’s breathe was tickling in his neck, and he could feel Sho’s hands wrapping around Nino’s body, pulling him closer.

“I was so afraid to never see you again,” Sho whispered. If this day wouldn’t have been that horrible, Nino would love about the cheesiness in Sho’s words, but he felt exactly same. And when he had seen the car door had opened he had already feared that it was Sho who wouldn’t return to him.

Nino dissolved from the embrace and looked directly into Sho’s eyes. He leaned forward to kiss Sho without saying something beforehand. Thousands of feelings crossed Nino’s body, from worry to happiness to fear to bouncy. Sho moved and stood up without dissolving from Nino. They stumbled backwards to the bedroom and Nino didn’t even think a second about this being his first time together with Sho or even with a man.

Nino lay back on the bed, and let Sho taking the lead. He could feel Sho’s hand on his upper body, undressing him and caressing almost every millimetre of his skin. Sho’s kisses on his body felt like little electric impulses on Nino’s skin. He was definitely sure that he wanted this, and Nino knew that he had never wanted anything that much in his life like he wanted to feel Sho now.

“Are you really okay with it?” Sho asked after a long tender kiss.

“Yes, totally,” Nino said with a smile. He let Sho undress him completely till the both of them lay naked next to each other. Nino’s heart beat fast against his chest and when he let his hand wander over Sho’s body, he felt more nervous than he had been at his first time with his female owner. He didn’t know why it felt that different, but maybe the reason was behind Nino’s true feelings.

When Sho pushed him gently on his back, Nino let Sho taking the full lead. He tried to be as relaxed as possible. Sho’s hands stroked down his thighs and Nino instinctively opened his legs a little more to let Sho sit between them. He could feel Sho’s hand wrapping around his already hard cock, stroking him while his first finger pushed slowly into Nino’s body. Pain crossed him, and Nino arched his back when the stinging didn’t fade. He pressed his eyes together and breathed out till the pain faded. Sho didn’t make a move till Nino relaxed.

“Shall I stop?” Sho asked, but Nino shook his head.

Nino tried concentrating on Sho stroking his dick and he tried to avoid thinking of the pain. It didn’t take long till Nino got used to the intrusion and he slowly started rocking back against Sho’s movements. He didn’t even recognize that Sho had already stretched him out with three fingers, till he pulled them out and leaned back.

Nino sat up to watch Sho unwrapping a condom and placing it around his cock before he leaned forward to kiss Nino. Something in Nino started jumping up and down. He was afraid about this now, but he wanted it from the bottom of his heart.

It was strange to feel Sho entering him. He was well prepared and it didn’t even hurt as much as he had imagined it, but it felt strange and slightly uncomfortable till Sho started moving in him. The first thrusts were small and kind of a try how Nino would react, but when Sho seemed to realize that Nino wasn’t in pain, his thrusts got more eager and faster and when Nino felt Sho’s cock brushing a certain point in him, it was like seeing stars. “There,” Nino breathed out. He could feel Sho’s hand angling for Nino’s leg to change the angle for hitting this point with every move.

It didn’t take Nino long to find his release and Sho followed soon after Nino. They lay next to each other, spent and tired, but Nino was happy. He could hug the whole world, at least till he thought about Jun and his situation, and a new fear came up in Nino. What would he do if the night he had slept with Sho for the first time would become the night Masaki died? No, he couldn’t think about this now. Masaki wouldn’t die, Sho and Ohno had saved him.

“Don’t regret it.” Sho’s voice next to Nino’s ear was soft and calm. And he could see that Sho was already half asleep.

“I don’t regret anything,” Nino answered. He let himself being pulled into a tight embrace. “I just thought of …” he started, but Sho placed his finger on Nino’s mouth.

“Don’t,” Sho begged. “I don’t want to think about what happens if …” So Sho had the same thought Nino had.

“Can we switch everything around us off for some hours?” Nino asked.

“I need to,” Sho sighed. “Everything in my mind is spinning around, and the only thing I want is my brother being healthy again.” Now Nino was sure that Sho was crying. He could hear clear sobs and he felt Sho’s tears falling down on Nino’s shoulder. Nino had never been the emotional type, but even he couldn’t hold back a few tears before he turned round to rob closer to Sho and hug him again till they find at least a bit rest.


	23. Chapter 23

“And then there was this flower in your garden. Do you remember? You told me that I laugh like a child seeing something for the first time. You know, Masaki this was the first time I saw a dandelion. It was so funny to have this puffball and to see the small umbrella-like things flying through the air. I can remember your laugh, Masaki. I was at your place for a few days when you showed this to me, and I was already so happy… Can you remember when we entered the attic? You told me so many stories about your grandfather, and the old books. You showed me so many different things. I learned so much. You asked me if I feel imprisoned, but I never felt like this here, really. I love to be here. This night in the mountains where … ah, you know what I am talking about, it was the most beautiful night I ever had. Masaki, you were the first one who told me that I am beautiful, and you are the first one I believe in…”

Masaki just listened. He loved listening to Jun’s voice. And his words hit him right in his heart. A warm feeling spread in his body, mixed with … pain? Where was he? What had happened? He remembered about going to the mine, and then? Masaki tried opening his eyes, and finally he saw something like a white light, which turned into his room after a few seconds. He tried to move his head to the left where he heard Jun’s voice right before.

He could see Jun lying next to him on the bed, but he had his eyes closed and was probably asleep. Masaki tried moving, because he felt the urgent need to drink some water, but he just felt a terrible pain when he tried to sit up. “Ouch,” he breathed out.

Jun was immediately up staring at Masaki with eyes wide open. “You are awake,” he shrieked. He jumped down from the bed and grabbed his walkphone. “Sho-san?” Jun said nervously. “He is awake.”

Jun hung up and stepped back to Masaki’s bed. He knelt next to him, stroking over Masaki’s forehead. “Sho-san is on the way down here.”

“What happened?” Masaki said. His throat was dry and his voice sounded far away and thin. This was definitely not good.

“You got shot in the north, Sho-san and Ohno-san brought you back here, but they didn’t know if you’d survive this.” Jun nibbled on his lips nervously. “But you are awake.”

“The north…,” Masaki whispered. He could remember that he walked up to the mine and then everything got dark around him. “And the others? Are they okay?”

Jun took Masaki’s hand in his. Their fingers intertwined. The warm feeling of Jun’s hand around his made Masaki feel better. He knew it wasn’t possible to make him recover faster, but it gave him a certain strength to feel the other’s presence.

“They have a few bruises and wounds, but they are all in all okay,” Jun explained. “Do you need anything?” Jun asked.

“Can you bring me some water?” Masaki’s throat got drier and drier and his stomach grumbled. “And I think I need to eat something.”

“I will ask Sho-san and Satoshi-san what you are allowed to eat and drink and I will prepare everything for you,” Jun said.

The door got open and Sho came into the room followed by Ohno. Nino and Ryo stopped at the doorframe. “Oh god, Masaki,” Sho said. “How do you feel? Can you move? Do you remember everything? Where do you feel the biggest pain?”

Masaki’s lips turned into a smile. “God, one question after another, okay?” He tried to sit up, but winced when the stinging pain in his chest increased. Jun and Sho were next to him, helping him sitting up. “Thank you.”

Jun turned to Sho. “Is Masaki allowed to eat and drink something?”

Sho nodded. “Sure. The more he eats and drinks the better it is.”

Masaki looked at his friends, and he could see that they had hardly slept at all. Sho had dark rings under his eyes and Ohno didn’t look any better. Masaki could see Jun running up and down preparing something to drink, to eat and some fresh wet towels.

“Can you move your leg?” Ohno came closer to Masaki’s bed and removed the blanket from Masaki’s body.

Masaki slowly tried moving his leg up and down. He felt a terrible pain, but he could move every part of his body. “That’s good.” Masaki smiled.

“I am so glad that you are okay,” Sho breathed out. He could see him looking back at Nino, who smiled at Sho, and it was immediately clear to Masaki that something had happened between them – something really good had happened, and Masaki was so happy about that.

Jun returned with a tray with water and something to eat. “I need to clean your wound after you’ve eaten something.”

“Jun took care of you during the last two days. He didn’t even move a single step out of your room,” Sho smiled.

Masaki took the spoon to eat the soup Jun had brought him. He immediately felt better and the grumble in his belly grew smaller.

“I think we let you rest some more now,” Ohno said.

“Jun, do you want to eat together later?” Nino asked. It was the first time Nino said something. “You look thinner again, and I think Masaki will agree that you need to eat.”

Masaki smiled. He loved Nino’s direct way, and he was glad to see them gaining more confidence. “I am not really hungry,” Jun grumbled.

“No, no, no,” Masaki shook his head. “You’ll eat with Ryo and Nino, and I don’t want to hear anything from you.” He smiled at Jun, who seemed to sulk because of Masaki’s words. “You need to eat something, really. I am okay. And I am sure Sho and Ohno will take care of me till you’re back from lunch.”

“Okay,” Jun gave in. He probably knew it was senseless to discuss anything further with Masaki, and Masaki looked forward to have some time with his brother and Ohno, because he wanted to talk about something he had thought of.

“Okay, now everyone out here.” Sho clapped. “You finish eating and we’ll let you some time with Jun, and then we’ll be back to switch places and we’ll take care of you.”

Masaki nodded. He waited till everyone had left the room. “Hey, Jun,” Masaki said, looking at Jun who had closed the door behind him and now stood there, not moving at all. He looked at little bit pale. “Come here.” Masaki raised his hand.

He waited till Jun came up to him and placed the tray on the nightstand. Jun sat at the border of the bed. “I am sorry for making you worry about me.” Masaki took Jun’s hand again, brushing his thumb over Jun’s hand. “I promised to return save to you, and now I caused you trouble.”

Jun shook his head. “No,” he said with a smile. He looked so thin and sick, Masaki didn’t like seeing Jun like this. Masaki knew that their life couldn’t go on like this. “You didn’t cause trouble. I was just worried that you wouldn’t return to me.”

Masaki’s heart made some jumps. “Come closer,” Masaki said. Jun bent down and Masaki let his lips brush over Jun’s before he started kissing him. Jun was tensed, but he leaned into the kiss more and more.

~~~

Nino looked at Jun, who sat opposite, stirring in his food absent-minded. “You need to eat something, Jun. He is alright now, he’ll be soon healthy again.”

Jun looked up at him. “I heard him talking in his sleep, Nino.” Nino hated the way Jun looked at him. He was broken and sad, and Nino couldn’t imagine what made him thinking like this.

“What did he say?”

“He wants to leave this place here. He wants to go to an island far away. He’ll sell me, Nino. I know it,” Jun suddenly burst out.

Nino gulped. No, he could imagine a lot of things, but he knew that Masaki would never leave Jun here, or sell him again. That was just ridiculous. “Have you asked him about this?” Nino sighed when he saw Jun shaking his head. “He was dreaming, Jun, and even if he wants to leave, he would never leave you here.”

“I am just afraid to lose him,” Jun explained.

“No, you won’t lose him, I am sure about it,” Ryo hooked in.

“I really hope you are right,” Jun said. The fear Jun had was ridiculous, but Nino knew that Jun wouldn’t believe in him by now.

“We will talk with Masaki later on, you’ll ask him about it, Jun. And you’ll see that there is a reason for his words,” Nino said.

Jun slipped down from his seat. “I need to feed the turtles now, I will be back in a moment.” He disappeared outside and when Ryo wanted to follow Jun, Nino held him back.

He shook his head when Ryo looked at him. “He wants to be alone right now. Let him, he’ll be alright. Everything was a little bit too much for Jun during the last days, but he’ll be alright.”

“I hope you’re right, because he really doesn’t look overall good,” Ryo said.

“Me too,” Nino sighed.

~~~

Sho and Ohno stared at Masaki in disbelieve. He knew his words hand been chaotic and there wasn’t even a real plan he had, but he wanted to talk with his brother and Ohno about everything he had thought of during the days he had slept.

“I am sure that this is a good idea. We just have to think about everything properly, but I think that would make everything for us easier,” Masaki said.

Sho walked up and down in front of Masaki’s bed. Masaki knew this face. Sho was thinking about good and bad points in his plan. Ohno sat at the border of the bed, his head slightly tilted. “I think that could work out.”

Sho shook his head. “I am not really sure about it.” He stopped and looked out of the small window. “We need to make a cut, we need to leave behind the ones we love.”

Masaki nodded. “But we could make a new start.”

“Maybe it’s really not a bad idea,” Sho said.

Masaki turned his head to the left when he heard a noise at the door. He saw a slender figure standing there. “Come in, Jun.”

Jun opened the door a little further and stood there at the doorframe, his shoulders hanging down sadly. “You want to leave us behind, right? You want to sell us again?”

Nino and Ryo appeared behind them. They looked shocked. Masaki blinked. The thoughts in his head were running wild. Leaving behind whom? “Oh,” he finally said. “No, no, Jun come here.”

Jun didn’t move. He stood at the doorframe not moving at all. “We won’t leave anyone here. I spoke with Sho and Ohno about leaving Japan together.”

“I think we’ll leave Jun and you alone now. You should talk about everything before we decide.” Sho turned to Nino. “And I will talk with you.”

“I agree, come Ryo.” Ohno stepped to Ryo and took his hand.

Masaki waited till everyone had left his room before he started talking again. “Jun?” Masaki said softly. “Come here.”

He could see Jun being nervous. “Jun, come on.” Masaki said again. Jun looked at him and finally stepped to Masaki’s bed. He sat next to him. “I won’t leave you anywhere, okay?” Masaki brushed Jun’s cheek with his thumb.

“But you said that you want to leave this place? You also talked about it in your sleep,” Jun said. He looked down.

“No, I mean, yes. I want to leave this place.” Masaki smiled. “But I won’t leave you here. I thought that we could leave this place together.”

Jun’s sad eyes suddenly started sparkling and his lips turned into an enormous smile. “As long as I am allowed to go with you, I’ll follow you everywhere.”

“Good, because we won’t return here anymore,” Masaki explained.

“Do you want to move to the mountains? To the cottage?” Jun asked. No, this time Masaki would go far away, and his dreams led him to this decision.

“No, I once told you about this island I read about?” Masaki saw Jun’s head moving to a nod. “I want to move there.”

“But why? Aren’t you happy here?” Jun relaxed more and more.

“No, because you can’t live freely, and I think I don’t want to work here anymore. You saw what happened in the north, and I don’t want to live in a kind of war anymore. People around here are getting worse and worse.”

“So the whole family will move to this island?” Jun asked.

Masaki shook his head. “No. My parents will remain here. My father wants to keep his work up here, and my mom stays with him. I am just talking about Sho, Ohno and me. And of course Nino and Ryo.”

“Do you really think that there is a better life somewhere else?”

Masaki pulled on Jun’s neck to get him closer and Jun let himself being pulled into a hug. He placed his head on Masaki’s chest and let Masaki twist some of his hair between his fingers. “Yes. I know I just dreamed about that place, but I read about it. There aren’t slaves and humans, everyone is equal there.”

“That sounds too good to be true,” Jun looked up at Masaki.

Masaki smiled. “I dreamed about you and Nino working in a bar while Ohno, Sho and I were in a local hospital. It was so nice to come home, to see you free and all over happy. I want this Jun, I want this so bad, and I am going to make this come true.”

Jun robbed closer to place a kiss on Masaki’s lips. “That really sounds good.”

Masaki pulled his arms around Jun. He wanted to feel Jun’s body next to his. Jun’s slow breath and his hand on Masaki’s chest calmed Masaki down and he knew that everything would be alright. Finally he had something like a plan and he hoped they were able to make this step.


	24. Chapter 24

“What do you mean with that? You want to leave everything behind here?” Nino asked. He didn’t understand the whole situation by now, but maybe Masaki was right, but what if this wouldn’t be a better place?

“Our parents don’t want to leave this place. They have their life here, and they want to keep up their fight against the circumstances, but Masaki wants to move to this island. And I am sure he won’t move without us,” Sho sat opposite Nino. He took Nino’s hand. “I am not sure how it’ll be there, and maybe Masaki is just dreaming about this being a better place. But if we don’t try it, we won’t know it, right?”

Nino nodded. “And I don’t think that it could become worse than it is here right now.”

“Yes. We head towards worse times, and I agree that I am with Masaki here. I think there really is a good chance to have a better life there.”

Nino was torn. He didn’t want to leave his country, but what if Masaki was right and he’d be able to live freely there? And he would leave together with Sho and Jun, the most important persons in his life. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Sho smiled at him before he bent forward and left a kiss on Nino’s lips.

~~~

Masaki smiled when he felt Jun’s grip around his hand. They sat in the small airplane to the island. They had really made the step – they’d start a new life. After two weeks of recovering in his bed, Masaki was finally able to stand up again, feeling healthy again. They had planned a lot during Masaki’s sickness, and finally they could leave Japan. Masaki would miss his life, but he was sure that something better would await him.

“What was that?” Jun shrieked.

Masaki chuckled. Jun was terribly nervous because he had never been in an airplane before. He looked around, but there was hardly anyone in the plane. People decided to stay at home and they hardly went on holiday anymore. Masaki pulled Jun closer when he was sure that no one was looking at them and started kissing him. Maybe he could distract him from his fear by doing that, and he seemed to be successful. Jun got more relaxed and he finally didn’t talk about his fear anymore.

Masaki felt something in him jumping up and down. He was nervous about the step they made. “I am glad that Sho, Nino, Ryo and Ohno are with us. So I am not alone when you are at work,” Jun smiled while he snuggled against Masaki.

“I am sure you’ll be able to work there, Jun. Don’t forget, you won’t be a slave anymore. You’ll be free.” Masaki could see Jun’s smile growing bigger and Masaki knew that this was definitely worth it.

~~~

Nino was nervous when the plane started. He had never been in an airplane before. The houses down there got smaller and smaller and soon they were above the clouds. The sun shone through the small window. Nino couldn’t believe that he was really leaving. He hated his country, and he had never had a good life till he met Sho and Masaki, but it felt strange to leave the place he had been born.

“Are you okay?” Sho squished Nino’s hand.

“Sure.” Nino smiled. “It just feels strange to leave … home?” Nino could see Sho nodding at him. “Aren’t you sad to leave your parents?”

Sho shrugged. “A little bit, but they’ll visit us sooner or later.” Sho leaned back against the chair. “I am a little bit sad, but I am also looking forward to a better place.”

~~~

EPILOGUE

Masaki walked down the beach. He had the shoes in his hand and he loved the feeling of the sand between his toes. It was their third month on this island, and Masaki had never regretted the step they had made. He looked at the sun disappearing behind the horizon. It was really like it had been in Masaki’s dream.

Masaki heard noises in the small house right next to the beach. Someone laughed and someone else sang a phrase from a song Masaki didn’t know. He smiled. This was the life he had always dreamed of. He should have made this decision much earlier, but maybe he wouldn’t have met Jun and Nino when he had come here months ago.

“I am back,” Masaki said when he stepped into the small house’s garden.

“Oh, welcome,” Jun smiled at him. He looked good. Healthy, strong and finally all over happy. The small wrinkles Jun had under his eyes had disappeared.

“You are already back at home?” Masaki asked. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Jun, who stood at the barbeque, turning the meat on there.

“Yes, the others will be here soon,” Jun smiled. “I got two big steaks from work, and I bought some beer.”

Masaki’s heart jumped. It was the life he had read in his grand-grand-grand…father’s books. The people back then must have lived like this – a happy life.

“Sho is still in the hospital, and Ohno is out with the ambulance, but they’ll be here soon. Nino is at home?” Masaki asked. He placed his head on Jun’s shoulder.

“Nino is in the garden,” Jun pointed at the garden next to theirs with his turnspit.

A head appeared right above the small bushes. “I will be at your place in a few minutes. I just need to plant some vegetables.”

“You got sunburnt,” Masaki chuckled. It was strange to see things he had dreamed happening for real now, but it made Masaki feeling happy. His dream wasn’t only a dream, it became true and it was better than he had imagined it.

“Oh … I needed to work outside today. Because our boss wanted us to switch places,” Nino grumbled.

“I will tell Sho to bring you some cream,” Masaki laughed out.

~~~

They sat together in Masaki and Jun’s garden and ate together, chatting about this and that. Masaki had the feeling to be finally free, even though he had always been free, and he didn’t want to imagine how Jun, Nino and Ryo must have felt right now.

He looked at Sho and Nino looking at each other, and he knew everything was alright now. He searched for Jun’s hand to intertwine their fingers. This was the life Masaki had imagined for him.

~~~

Nino, Ryo and Jun sat at the beach, talking about their new life. “It’s the best place we could get to.” Jun said with a smile, and Nino could just agree.

“Hey,” Ryo suddenly said. Nino and Jun looked at Ryo. “Can you remember when we talked about our relationships back at the waterfall? How about talking about it now?” He laughed. “I think we all have a good life now, and we all have something we can talk about now?”

“Yes,” Nino said. “It’s perfect. I can’t believe that we are free. We are really free and they left their life behind for us. I think there is nothing more to say.”

“Let’s step into a new life and talk about our boyfriends and their stupid behaviour like normal humans do,” Nino said with a laugh.

He watched the other’s sitting together in the garden, and a warm, happy feeling spread in Nino. Yes, now everything was alright.


End file.
